Rise Of The Wolf : Curse Of The Wolf 2
by Who-I-am-x
Summary: What happens when a new threat approaches,and everyone's life is once again in danger?And what happens when someone attacks Eriol and Tomoyo's son?Will they all survive when Meilin's pregnant, once more? And can Syaoran and Sakura really protect them all?
1. Rising

**Disclaimer :** If I really have to _explain_ to you that I don't own CCS, then you're too stupid to be reading anything, let alone my fic.  
Bye bye.

**Author's Note**: I _will_ be using the English names, sorry, but that's the way I work. If you don't like it, don't read.  
Any reviews criticising this will simply be ignored.  
This is the **_sequel_** to **_Curse Of The Wolf_** – there may be some points you don't understand if you haven't read it.  
This is the third part of my Curse of the Wolf works – please read **The Past**,** Curse Of The Wolf**, and **this**!

**Curse Of The Wolf 2:  
Rise Of The Wolf  
****Chapter 1:  
****Rising **

A earsplitting thud was all I heard as I hit the floor.  
Pain shook through my upper body, and a dark shadow was cast over me.  
The last thing I noticed before the room went black was a glimmer of red, reflected in the sunlight.

**Flashback –  
A year ago **

**(When COTW ended) **

"Touya, how could I _not_ love you?"  
And they were kissing again, more passion, more love.  
Just _more_.

**An Hour Later:**

Meilin shut the door to her old bedroom in the Li Mansion, feeling as though the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.  
However, at seeing who was awaiting her arrival, her mood was immedietly improved.

"So, how'd it go?" His handsom smirk and mocking tone caused her to glare, and it was as if they'd never been apart.

"How'd you _think_ it went? Syaoran totally flipped on me! How was Sakura?" Meilin flopped down on the bed, resting her head on Touya's enticing shoulder.

"She was...a little shocked, to say the least. I left her to have a lie down." He laughed, and she swatted him playfully in the chest, and leaving her hand there long after necessary.

"You had it _so _easy! Sakura's a total saint, and Syaoran...well, he _hates_ you..."

"Feeling's _more _than mutual." This earned him another playful swat, this one only _slightly_ harder.

"I'm having a crisis – now is _not_ a good time for you and Syaoran to go all _testosterone_ on me!" She sighed once more, and Touya kissed her head gently.

"I'm not _going _all 'testosterone' on you, I'm merely saying that I don't like your cousin."

"_Tooouuuyyyaaa_!" And this time he got a pillow in his face.

"Hey! What was _that _for?"

"Being a guy."

"But-" However, Touya didn't get a chance to respond, as a loud stomping sound made itself apparent, and he could do nothing but roll his eyes for the briefest of moments, and utter;

"_Li_."

"His mood won't improve if he sees us together."

"Let _me_ talk to him." She seemed alarmed by this, but a sense of understanding was also portrayed across her features.

"Are you sure?"

"Hey, I got in this far, might as well see it through properly." He gave her what he _hoped_ was a reassuring smile, and she just managed to sneak out of a side door as Syaoran entered the room, his face contorted under the pressure of the scowl it displayed.

"Isn't it _enough_ you wrecked Meilin's life, you had to go and freak Sakura out, too?" Syaoran's voice was unnervingly calm, but Touya wouldn't allow himself to be lulled into a false sense of security.

"What did _I_ do?" Touya's genuine astoundment seemed too much for Syaoran, as his tranquillity was soon disregarded, and his resentment made itself visible.

"What do you _mean_, what did _you_ do? If you hadn't gone and left Mei then none of this would _ever_ have happened! You treated me _so_ badly when I was dating your sister, but I _never_ would've knocked her up and left her with a _child_!"

"Get your facts straight, _gaki_! I didn't _leave_ her! She left _me_!"  
But Syaoran wasn't fazed.

"So you should've gone _after_ her! You'd only have expected the same from me if it was Sakura! Of course, _Sakura _wouldn't _be_ in that situation, I dated her _publicly_!" Touya's patience began to wear thin.

"Only coz _you'd_ be too _thick_ to sneak around me anyway." Syaoran was growing redder by the second, and Touya could tell that things were about to get much more heated.

"Not at _all_ – I used to sleep with your _sister_ when you were in the next room, and you never noticed!"

"Only because _I _was out knocking up _your_ ex."  
And the pair launched at each other, at which point Sakura and Meilin entered the room and attempted to yank them apart.

"Oh for _God's_ sake, you two!" The girls finally managed to separate the pair, with Meilin dragging her cousin out to the hall, and Sakura barely managing to keep her brother from following them out there.

**In The Hall **

"Syao! Why can't you just be _happy_ for me? Why'd you have to be so…_Li_?" Meilin was glaring at her cousin now, but he could more than match her gaze.

"Because I _am_ a Li, Meilin, and so are you! You don't _need_ him messing up your life, after everything he's done to you! He knocked you up and forced you to deal with it _alone_! How can you be so _forgiving_?" He was practically yelling now, and she couldn't stop herself from retorting;

"Because I _love_ him!" She was aware she'd said this a _little_ too loudly, but she didn't give a crap.  
However, realising that her cousin was in no state to respond just yet, she repeated herself, slower, and more calmly.

"Because I _love_ him, Syao…And I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I'm not gonna stop any time soon."

"You're in _love_ - with Sakura's _brother_." His voice had a slight mocking tone to it, and she tensed.

"Yes. Yes, I _am_." She shot him a defiant glare.

"In love like you were in love with _me_?" He smirked back at her, not realising the impact his words had.

"That was _different_ – I was _ten_, for fuck's sake! I love Touya, and he loves me, and I don't care _what_ you think – if you can't be happy for me like I was happy for _you and Sakura_, then maybe we should just leave now."  
By the end of her speech, she was actually quite out of breath, and even when she looked to him for some sort of reaction, there was just a blank, unreadable expression on his face.  
No help there.

"I don't _get_ it! He left you to look after _Adorare_ on your own – if it wasn't for _him_, none of this would've happened!" He realised he'd gone too far as a tear rolled down his cousin's cheek.

"Mei…"

"_I _walked out on _him_ – not the other way around! I _chose_ not to tell him about Ador_-her_…and whatever my _daughter_ has done, it's got _nothing _to do with how she was raised – it's not _all_ my fault! And I _won't_ be blamed for _her_ actions!" She was sobbing by the time she was done, and it wasn't long before he'd enveloped her in a strong hug, sighing as he went.

"I _know_ it's not your fault. I didn't mean- Look, if you _really _love…_him_…who am _I_ to…_stop_ it?"

"Are you saying…?" She looked up at him, mascara streaking her cheeks, and Syaoran felt a sudden surge of emotion for his cousin.  
She'd been through _so_ much.  
It wasn't _her_ fault that her daughter had nearly killed Hotaru and Gen…and trapped Hiro in a closet…and then nearly killed _Mei_…  
Okay, so Adorare had done some bad stuff – Meilin wasn't to blame.  
And Adorare wasn't even _around_ any more.  
They'd been looking for her for the past _week_ – she _obviously_ didn't want to be found.

"I'm _not_ gonna be nice." He looked down at her indignantly.

"_What_?" She punched him in the arm.

"Okay! I won't say anything! _Jeez_!"

"Promise?" She held her fist up to his arm as a threat.

"_Promise_." He growled, and she hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Ouch! And this is what I get when I _do_ what you want?" She laughed, and at once, she knew everything was gonna be alright.

**A year later –  
****Present Day  
****Meilin and Touya's new place **

The sunlight played on Meilin's closed eyelids, and she smiled slightly as she felt the warmth on her skin.  
She gave a content sigh, banging her head on the foot of it as she went.  
She sat bolt upright as she went, confused.

"Hey! How'd I get down _here_?" She looked over at Touya, who just briefly glanced up from his newspaper in time to raise his eyebrows suggestively.

"Don't ask me. I woke up on the floor." She laughed, wrapping the sheets around herself in an attempt to preserve her modesty.

"You know I've _seen _you naked, right?" She smiled, crawling over to him.

"Yeah, but that's _different_ – you only get to see me naked when we're…_you know_…'doing it'…" She kissed him lightly, but he pulled her closer, deepening it.

"Meilin?" He muttered huskily as they drew apart.

"Yeah?" She was completely captivated, drawn in by his seductive smile.

"Lose the sheet." And she did.  
How could she not?

**Two Hours Later  
****Meilin's POV**

I flicked the switch on the kettle, yawning happily as I went.  
If someone had told me, a year ago, that I'd be living with _Touya_, in a house we bought _together_, just a minute away from _Syaoran and Sakura_, I would've laughed in their face,  
But now, for once, everything had fallen into place.  
_Accept Adorare_.  
The thought came out of nowhere, but it hit me like a truck, none the less.  
Tears escaped me, and I cursed inwardly.  
It had been a _year_.  
I'd searched _all_ the places I could think of that she could've gone.  
I'd even read her diary.  
And found out she'd had a boyfriend.  
And he was _twenty-one_.  
Four years older than her.  
In fact, reading her diary had just made me feel _worse_.  
It made me realise how _little_ I knew about my daughter.

Touya had visited 'The Boyfriend', and all we found out was that she'd dumped him a week before.  
So then we searched everywhere we could think of again.

A little sob escaped me now, and soon enough, I felt a strong pair of arms around me.

"Thinking about Adorare?" I leant into his arms, allowing him to support me completely.

"She'd be seventeen tomorrow. She wanted to go to Paris, wanted to take Stacie and go up the Eiffel Tower. Wanted to go shopping..." I sobbed again, not caring that I was raving on like a lunatic.

"We'll find her, Mei." I leant my head against his chest, wishing I could agree.

"She doesn't _want_ to be found. She's run away before; she usually just goes to Stacie's place, stays there for a few nights and gets Stacie to say she hasn't heard from her. She's home within the week…she doesn't _want_ to come back – she thinks we'll all hate her. She thinks she'll be disowned. Or worse." My eyes were searching his, searching for something, _anything_ that gave me a glimmer of hope.  
Nothing.

"Mei, I don't care _what _we have to do, or _where_ we have to go, she's coming back. I promise you, I'm gonna fix this." And this time, when I looked up, there was a sort of defiance in his eyes.

And I could believe him.  
And, I swear, I loved him more for it.

"Thanks." I mumbled into his chest.

"No problem." He laughed slightly, and began to brush my tears away with his hands; I could see the concern on his face.  
I began to wonder how I'd ever coped without him.

"Touya?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me we'll always be together?" He cupped my face in his hands.

"I'm never gonna lose you again." I smiled.

"Good. I like being found."

**Adorare's POV **

My eyes opened slightly, but the resulting burst of light only served to intensify the searing pains making their way through my skull.  
I heard a faint laugh coming from somewhere over my head, and I frowned.  
If only I could open my damn _eyes_!  
Across the room, another noise.  
The sound of blinds closing.  
Someone had closed the blinds.  
Someone was in the room with me.  
And all I had to do was open my eyes, and I'd know.  
I wasn't in the apartment; that much was clear.

I'd rented an apartment on the opposite side of the city from where _they_ all lived.  
The money I'd used was sort of a _loan_ from Stacie…not that she _knew_ about it, of course…  
But I'd get it back to her, somehow.

I looked up for traces of whoever had closed the blinds, whoever had _laughed_, but there was no movement in the room.  
From what I could see, I was laying on the floor of a rather _luxurious_ bedroom – a large four-poster bed, covered in Chinese silk sheets, a gorgeous long-haired red carpet, and various dark oak dressers and vanity tables.  
I brought myself up, searching for some clue to _where_ I was.  
And how I _got_ here.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I decided to attempt looking out of the window – if I knew _where_ I was, I might be able to think of _why_.  
As I raised the blinds once more, a sigh of relief shook through me – I was still in Hong Kong!

_I was still in Hong Kong_.

Crap.  
Did that mean I was in the clutches of my _mother_?  
Had they found me, after everything I went through to get _away_?

Something caught my eye on the bed – a note, hand-written in English;

**_If you need a shower, use the one in the en-suite, and you can change into the clothes in the dresser, coz yours are a mess.  
_****_Come down when you're washed and dressed.  
_****_And don't bother trying to use your magic – it won't work.  
_****_If you need aspirin, there are two on the bed-side cabinet.  
_****_Hurry up. _**

I gave my fingers an experimental click, but immediately regretted it – I felt my energy drain from my body, and weakness enveloped me so that I had to lean against the heavy oak wardrobe in order to remain upright.  
Okay, no magic.  
I'd have to get out of here another way.

My eyes fell upon the window.  
It looked pretty normal – just a standard issue window…on what _seemed _to be the second floor.

_Crap_.

I'd never make that jump…would I?

I gazed out, searching for something I could use to my advantage – I'd had to sneak out of my room _tonnes_ of times when I was 'grounded' and I wanted to see Stace or Takashi…  
I'd never see them again, now – it'd been a year, but somehow, it still wasn't _real_ to me.  
The whole 'running away' thing was still alien to me – it was like I was playing a game, and deep down I knew I had a life-line; if I needed cash or a bed or food, I knew there was a string of people I could run to; Stacie and Takashi would be the safest options, of course, as even if my mum _was_ looking for me – which she probably _wasn't_, she'd never even _think_ that I'd got to Stacie's – she never found me when I hid there - and she didn't even _know_ about Takashi – if she found out he was four years older than me, she'd _flip_!  
Not that she'd have any _right_ to, of course, coz that's _exactly_ the age gap between her and…_my father_…

I shivered at the thought of _them_.  
I didn't have _time_ for this.  
I had to work on getting _out_ of here.  
I had _no_ idea who or what awaited me downstairs, but I knew that once I went down there, it'd be even _harder_ to escape.  
I needed to do this _now_.

Something underneath the window caught my eye – a narrow ledge, just wide enough for me to balance on.  
I hoped.  
Now it was just a matter of getting through the window – the _locked_ window.  
All I needed was something heavy to smash it, and I'd be able to make a run for it – provided there weren't _too_ many people waiting to chase me downstairs if I _did_.

I reached towards the lamp sitting on the bedside cabinet, right next to the two aspirin and the glass of water.  
And, in one swift movement, I brought it crashing down on to the window.

The result?  
A dull thud.  
The 'glass' didn't even crack.  
It merely shook on the impact, and from behind me, I heard a faint laugh once more.  
I didn't dare move an inch.

"You really _are_ your mother's daughter." And I turned around, coming face to face with my kidnapper.

**Touya and Meilin's place  
****Normal POV **

Meilin came down on the couch with a thud, causing Touya to look up from his laptop.

"Are you doing that thing where you make noise so I ask you what's wrong?" She smiled.

"_No_. I'm doing that thing where I make noise so you look up at me and stop what you're doing." His turn to smile.

"Why?" She edged closer to him now.

"So I can do _this_." She kissed him, leaning into him for a moment.

But she found that when she did, she didn't want to lean out.  
So she didn't.  
He brought her closer to him, not caring that he'd just dropped his laptop and _probably _smashed it into a million pieces – all he cared about was her.  
Nothing else seemed to matter.  
Accept when the phone rang.

_Bloody_ _phone_.

He only broke their kiss to mutter:

"Let the machine pick up."

"Okay."  
She kissed him again, and he turned towards her more to fully appreciate the warmth of the body pressed into his.

The machine beeped, and the message echoed throughout the house.

"_Hey, guys…you'll never guess who I've just found."  
_Meilin's eyes shot up, pure fear resonating through her body.

"Is that-?"  
But it was no good; he couldn't quite meet her gaze, as though scared at what he might find.

"_I've got your daughter here. And I'll be taking others. I'll take them all until I get what I want." _

"Yeah, that's ----

**Who's on the phone?  
****Find out in the next chapter!  
****Don't forget to read and review!  
****So, that's the first chapter of Rise Of The Wolf.  
****Come back soon!! **


	2. Falling

**Chapter 2:  
Falling **

"Yeah - that's _Nakuru_." Meilin noticed him adopt a scary, vacant expression as Nakuru's voice echoed through the house, and she shivered slightly.

"I think I've got something that belongs to you, Meilin - your _daughter! _If you'd like her back, I suggest you get Touya to meet me at the Hunan bar...shouldn't take _too_ long, it's only round the corner from you, right?"

"H-how does she-?" But Meilin was silenced by the continuation of the message.

"Hey, _Adorare_, why don't you say _hi_?"

"_What_?" Adorare muttered, and Meilin jumped at the sound of her daughter's voice, and, although she felt Touya squeeze her hand, she was too shocked to respond.

"Say hi to your _parents_!" There was an edge to Nakuru's voice this time, and there was an audible fearful tone as Adorare spoke.

" _Mum_? Don't listen to her, she's - hey, let go of me!"  
And the line went dead.

"_Ady_?" Meilin stared at the machine, tears brimming in her eyes.  
What was going _on_?

"If you want me to go, I'll understand." Touya muttered, although he couldn't seem to meet her gaze as he spoke.

"What?" Her tone was flat, and he found himself wondering if he'd made a fatal error.

"I _said_ if you want me to go and meet Nakuru, I'll understand...Ady's your - you know what I mean." She didn't speak, but began taking shallow breaths, and sobbing loudly.

"What's _wrong_?" She shook her head.

"You want her back, _don't_ you? After all this, you still want her more than me! You love her, and you want her and you just thought that you _had _to be with me for Adorare's sake and now you've realised you don't coz she's not even here, and you're gonna take your chance with N-nakuru and that's _it_."  
Another loud sob.  
Followed by another.

"Don't you _dare_ say that, Mei! I'd never leave you, and I _don't_ love Nakuru. I'm not with you because of Adorare, I'm with you because I _want_ to be, and there wasn't a day that we were apart when I didn't miss you."

"Really?" Her voice was so small, he could barely hear her.

"Really." And he stood up to leave.

"Are you…?" She stood too, approaching him.

"I have to go get her back, Mei…she's your-" But she didn't allow him to finish his sentence.

"Stop calling her _my_ daughter, Tori – she's yours too! Just because you didn't see her growing up, just because we've both made mistakes, that doesn't mean she's not yours." His face softened, and he brought her into a tight hug.

"I _know_ that, Mei, but…it's _hard_, you know? I can't exactly…I've barely ever _spoken_ to…God, Meilin, I don't know what to _do_!" He sighed, and Meilin felt herself melt.  
_She'd_ done this to him.  
To _both_ of them…  
If she'd just _told_ Touya, Adorare would've had a _proper_ child-hood, a proper father…

"Wow, I fucked up." She gave a bitter laugh.

"Me too." He kissed her head, making to leave again, but she grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"I won't make the same mistake twice." He frowned.

"What does _that_ mean?"

"I _think_ I'm…pregnant." He froze for a moment, and then his legs seemed to give way, causing him to crash to the floor, taking Meilin down with him.

"Mei! Are you okay, is the…is the _baby_ okay?" Seeing the concern on his face, she couldn't help but giggle a little, despite the current situation.

"I'm _fine_." But she made no attempt to move.

"But, Mei, _how_?"

"Do you really need a diagram?" He rolled his eyes.

"_When_?"

"That's the thing; I haven't done the…_test_ yet…"

"So _do _it!" She sat up, thinking for a moment.

"How bout I do it now, and you can't have the results til you get back from...ya know...?"

"Deal."

"You know this means you have to come back?" She couldn't help but doubt herself for a moment, no matter what Touya said.

"You know I never had any other intentions?" He smiled, kissing her once more, almost longingly, as though he never wanted to stop.  
And, deep down, she knew he _would_ be coming back, and not just because he felt he had to.  
He'd be back because he loved her.  
And nothing would change that.

Without another thought about whatever Touya would be up against, she ran upstairs to get her pregnancy testing kit.

**Adorare's POV**

I lay there, not quite sure what to attempt now, or if I even wanted to bother.  
Without my magic, I couldn't quite manage _anything_ without my magic;  
At least, not at this height.

As I lay there, depressed at just how little I could accomplish on my own, _she_ barged in, hoisting me up off the bed with such power, that I was a little surprised.

"Ready to go?" She gazed at me, but whether it was with disgust or loathing, I couldn't tell - not that I was under the impression that it really mattered, anyways.

"Where?"

"D'you really not know what's going on?" She was so incredulous, I felt even worse, as though I was an idiot for not being up to date with her latest formulations.

"I'm not used to being kidnapped by psycho ex-girlfriends of my _father_." And she struck me, very neatly across the face, with such force that it bought tears to my eyes.

"_Don't_ call him that." She muttered, tugging on my hair, dragging me through the hall and down the steps, each one coming into contact with my spine and hurting more than the last, until she finally got me into the street, and let go.

"Your _parents_ are in the bar round the corner. Go, now." She pushed me towards the direction she was pointing, so that I nearly lost my balance and fell onto the paving stones.

"You're just _letting me go_?" She laughed.  
Manically.

"Bar around the corner. _Now_."  
I headed off into the direction she had geustured to, glancing over my shoulder in ten second intervals, wondering why she wasn't following me.  
It was about then that I realised something _very_ strange was going on.

**Meilin's POV **

"Dammit!" I threw the pregnancy test against the door, my hands shaking.  
How had I _ever_ done this the first time?  
It was a _nightmare_.

As I checked for what felt like the _hundredth_ time, cursing at the blank panel, there was a frantic knock on the door, and I checked my watch, frowning.  
Was Touya back _already_?  
He'd probably rushed home to find out, and I didn't even have an _answer_ for him!  
A small smile played on my lips as I opened the door, but it fell as I saw who was waiting for me on the doorstep.  
_Nakuru_.

"What are you-?" But before I could even _ask_, she was pushing me down on the couch, with so much force that the couch actually _skidded_ under the pressure.

"If _he's_ at the bar, who's here to look after _you_?"  
I could feel my eyes widening in shock, and she must've noticed, too, because she gave one of the most chilling laughs I'd ever heard.

"Where's Adorare? If you've hurt her, I _swear_, I'll-" She laughed again, making me shiver.

"Your _daughter's_ on the way to meet her _father_ – by the time they get here, all that'll be left will be your _lifeless_ little body, in a pool of your own _fucking _blood!" A chill crept through my body as I realised how serious she was, and saw a glint of madness in her eyes.

"W-w-why? Why are you _doing_ this to us?"

"_W-why are you d-doing this to us?_ Poor little Meilin! How could _anything_ in your picture-perfect life possibly go _wrong_? I _really_ feel for you."

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"You _took_ my fiancée! Just because somebody _else_ stole yours, it didn't give you theright to do it to _me_! He's not even your _age_! And he's your _best friend's _brother! Don't you have any _principles_?" Her face was inches from mine, her voice maliciously low.

"He _chose_ me, Nakuru! You _dumped_ him for Yuki, _remember_? You don't love each other, and we _do_. I'm sorry if you blame me for that, but we're in love – we have a _daughter_."

It was at about this point that I realised that I still had the pregnancy test clenched in the palm of my hand.  
It _had_ to be time by now.

"Yes, I _know_ you have a _daughter_, but don't worry, I'll look after her, and we'll be a happy little _family_."

But I was no longer listening.  
I was staring at the little white stick in my hand.

"_What_?" She was getting agitated now, but _eventually_, when she'd stopped yammering on, she followed my line of sight.

_Pregnant._

"Oh my fucking _God_! You're _knocked up_? Is it-?"

"Touya's." I nodded, and we were both silent for a moment, each trying to come to terms with this new developement in our own ways.

"Well then, I'm gonna have to do this now…"  
And she stood up properly, clutching a gun I hadn't seen until it was pointed straight at me, in such a way that I thought I could actually_ see_ the bullet that was going to kill me.  
I couldn't stop the tears running down my cheeks.

"_Nakuru_?" She looked straight at me, and for a moment, it was as if we had a genuine connection.

"What?" She tried to sound cold, she couldn't _quite_ pull it off.

"Don't tell him. I don't want him to know he lost another kid…" And she nodded.  
At which point Adorare run in, screaming, and Nakuru was forced to spin round, bringing the cold, hard metal of the gun into contact with my daughter's head.  
And the last thing I saw before the red haired woman ran off was the trickle of blood sliding down my daughter's cheek as she collapsed, and Touya ran in.

**Eriol's Place  
Tomoyo's POV **

I was just looking for Hiro.  
I wasn't expecting _him_ to be there, but he was.  
Sitting there, in his stupid fucking chair that reminded him of 'the old days', back when he was a big, strong sorcerer.  
I _hated _that chair.  
It reminded me of everything that we couldn't work out, everything that was holding us apart.

"Where _is_ he?" He jumped as I spoke, as though he hadn't known I was there.  
But then, he was probably just thinking about the 'good old days'.  
Bleaugh.

"Out somewhere." He barely even looked at me as we spoke.

"_Where_? It's my turn to look after him, you had no _right_ to let him go out!" He stared into the flames, and I grew angrier at his ignorance.

"You were an hour late. I _assumed_ you'd run off somewhere again."

I snapped, not caring that he _still_ wasn't looking at me.  
Okay, so maybe I cared a _little_.

"I was only _twenty-minutes_ late, and I didn't _run off_ anywhere, in case you had forgotten, I was _kidnapped_ by Meilin's _daughter_. Not that _you _were much help _there_, either!" And _he_ jumped up, now.

"What did you _expect_ me to do? I didn't even know you were _there_, thanks to that lovely _vague_ note of yours! You can't expect me to do _everything_ for you, when you run off with my son! You just can't _expect_ me to be a fucking _saint_, Tomoyo! And you can't expect me to _fix_ everything!"

Wow.  
I never realised how _angry_ he was before.  
I guess me running off _was_ kinda selfish, but _still_.

"Well _you're_ the one who keeps bringing it up! We had problems _long_ before all _that_ happened, but you refuse to admit that it might have _anything _to do with you!"  
I was glaring at him now, my face _millimetres _from his, my voice scarily quiet.

"It _hasn't_ got anything to do with me! _You're _the one who decided we had problems, and _you're_ the one who's decided she doesn't love me any more, and that we have to get a _divorce_. I never said _anything _like that!"  
I faltered slightly at this.  
It was _true_.  
I'd just never realised it before.

"Yeah, well, a _divorce_ is easier than _arguing_ every night." I would've clamped my hand to my mouth, but I would've hit him in the process.  
And for some reason, I _cared_.

"Just because it's easy, doesn't make it _right_."

"I never said I didn't love you."

"You didn't have to." He sighed.

"But I _do_." Something changed in his expression, and I found myself wondering where this was going.  
And where it was gonna end up.

"So why are we _here_?"

"Because-" And honestly, I don't know what I would've said if I'd been made to continue.

Because the truth was, I didn't _know_.  
But it didn't matter all that much, anyway.  
Because I never had to finish.  
Because he kissed me, right then, right there.  
And I could've stopped him, but I didn't.  
And somehow, we ended up in his bedroom, falling to the bed elegantly, and all I could think of was _thank God I shaved my legs. _

**Syaoran and Sakura's  
Dinner **

"So, Gen, what happened between you and Hiro? I saw him running away from here when I got back…?" Genrou flushed guiltily, while Hotaru pretended to stir the gravy.  
Thank _God_ she hadn't inherited her father's blushing.

"_Nothing_." He muttered through gritted teeth.

Hotaru shot her mother a meaningful glance, and Sakura nodded dutifully.

"Uh, Syao? What d'you think of t-teenagers using _the pill_?" She whispered this part, in a desperate attempt to avoid any comments from Genrou.

Her husband frowned, not understanding the importance of this unsystematic conversation.

"It's okay, I guess, as long as it isn't-" Hotaru winced, and Sakura decided she may as well get to the point.

"I'm thinking of putting Hotaru on it."

Syaoran looked up at her briefly, slowly taking in the situation.  
And then he realised _what _was going on, and he choked on his food, coughing and spluttering for several minutes.  
And, when he looked up at his daughter, who had turned a deathly shade of white.

"_Why_ do you need the pill?" She avoided his gaze determinedly.

"Well…I…"

_Mum! Help me!  
__Please!  
__Think of something! _

But her father was looking away from her now, talking to her mother instead.

"You only started taking it when…" Sakura and her husband both turned bright red as he spoke, and Hotaru prayed this was her way out.

"_When_, dad?" Genrou earned himself a pair of matching glares.

"It's to…control her _menstrual pains_." Sakura decided to get in her defence now, before anything else could get in the way.

And now was both the male's turns to blush.

"_Saku_…do we _have _to talk about this _now_?" Syaoran was whining now, and Sakura knew she'd won.

"Not if you _sign_ _the form_, sweetheart." Said with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Couldn't you just…take a painkiller?" Genrou was _not _going down without a fight.  
And he was _not_ happy about his little sister seeing _anyone_, let _alone_ his best friend.

"_No_." Hotaru delivered a quick kick to his shin, but he still kept going.

"But, I just think it's _such_ a risk, I mean, it can mess up your hormones and stuff, there must be _other_ options?" He shot his father a meaningful glance, but he just pulled a '_what_ _the_ _hell_?' kinda face.  
And now his mother was shooting him warning glances across the table.  
He hadn't forgotten her threats.  
If he said _anything _to his father, he didn't doubt he'd be grounded for the rest of his life.  
But he couldn't _stand_ that they were getting _away_ with it!  
Why was his dad so _stupid_?  
And now he was about to sign the paper!

"Dad, you _can't_!" And Hotaru kicked him again.

"Would you _stop_? That hurts!"

"Gen? What _are_ you talking about?"

"You can't let her get the pill!"

"Oh, and _why_ is that?"

"Because she's-

**a/n: To be continued!  
****Hope you liked this chapter, told y'all there'd be more!  
****And please, REVIEW!!  
****There's nothing more annoying than seeing the hit count and knowing that all these people are READING, but don't care enough to review!! **


	3. Ascending

**Chapter 3:  
****Ascending: **

**Eriol's Place**

Tomoyo lay there, her face buried deep into the pillow.  
Beads of sweat eased their way down her face, along her arms, across her stomach and back.  
Her heart pumped, each beat echoing intensely through her head.

She didn't dare move, partly because she was so content in her current position, partly because she couldn't stand the inevitable discussion on 'where this was going' – because, truth be told, she didn't know.

She didn't know where Eriol was, whether he was still laying next to her or doing work on his laptop, as he used to.  
All she knew was that their bodies had no physical contact, and she missed it.  
She missed _him_.

Eriol sat on the edge of the bed, just beyond her reach.  
He ran his fingers through his hair, wondering what to do now.  
But deep down, he knew.  
He knew that no matter what he did, no matter what _she_ did, he'd love her unconditionally.  
And he knew what that meant.  
Knew what he had to do.

He became aware of a ringing.  
The phone in the study.  
And now he was trying to work out whether he cared enough to answer.

Turned out he just wanted something to take his mind off his current situation.  
Something that was _probably_ waiting for him on the end of the line.

"Hello?"

**Tomoyo's POV **

The door closed, and I knew he was doing what he _always_ did – or _used_ to do, when we were still together – running away from me.  
He couldn't _bare_ being around me unless we were in _bed_.  
That's all I was good for.

Okay, maybe we _did_ need to have this talk.  
Maybe it'd be for the best.

I heard talking now, just down the hall.

Was he _telling people_?  
_No, Tomoyo, don't be stupid.  
__He's not that insensitive.  
__Is he?  
__No!  
__Come on, it's Eriol. _

I turned round, wondering what happened _now_.  
Should I get dressed?  
Or should I just lie here?

If I got dressed, he'd think I was regretting it.  
And then _he'd_ regret it.  
_No_.

And if I just lay here, he'd think I wanted to do it _again_.  
Which was fine, if _he_-  
No.  
I couldn't just _lie here_.

So what did I _do_?

There was a slamming of a door further down the hall, and footsteps.  
Was he coming _back_?  
Damn!

I sat bolt upright, knowing I'd have to make a decision _fast_.

As the door swung open, I grabbed the sheet I had previously been lying under, twisting it around me, and trying to get back to my previous position.  
Which, of course, didn't work, and I ended up in a heap of sheets.

"What _are_ you doing?" He was leaning in the doorway, smiling down at me, acting like nothing was wrong.  
But it _was_.  
I knew the signs.

"Who was that?" He seemed surprise by my question, but answered anyway.

"Kero." Followed by a sigh.  
I sat up, immediately concerned.

"What's up?" He only ever called when something was wrong now.

It'd taken a _long_ time for Eriol and Sakura to decide on the fate of the 'guardian beasts', but it was eventually decided that Kero and Spinel would return to England, and Clow Reed's old mansion.  
Now they spent most of their days fighting and playing video games, unless something 'seemed wrong'.

"Nakuru tried to kidnap Adorare."

"_What_?" And, at that point, I was _sure_ he'd lost it.

**Meilin and Touya's Place**

"She _what_?" Meilin stared at her cousin now, incredulity presenting itself clearly on her face.

"She wants to see Ady." Syaoran hissed, equally as surprised at his daughter's decision.

**Flashback – An Hour Ago**

"Because she's-" Genrou's outburst was interrupted by the shrill sound on the phone ringing.  
It was Hotaru who made the move to pick it up, grateful of the chance to escape the atmosphere, but her mother stopped her.

"No phone during dinner."  
And now Syaoran answered.

"_Syao_!" Sakura glared; a glare that she hadn't needed until she'd married _him_.

"But Saku! I've _answered_ now – d'you want me to _hang_ _up_?" Said with the cutest face he could muster.

"Give me the _phone_." And he knew not to disobey her.

"Mei? What's-_really_? _No_! Is she-sure, I'll tell her…_them_…okay. And Mei? Are you _okay_? And is-he is? Okay. See you soon. I'll try and get round there later. You too. Bye."  
Her hand shook slightly as she replaced the receiver.

_How am I supposed to tell my kids that the girl that nearly killed them is back?  
How can I possibly get them to sleep at night, knowing that she's a five minute walk away?  
__And what about Touya and Mei?  
__They're not gonna give up their only child because of my kids…  
__Will I end up pushing them away?  
__What's she even like now?  
__My niece…  
__I've never had one of those before… _

"Sakura?" Her husband's voice penetrated her self destructive thoughts.

"Adorare's back." She hoped her plain portrayal of the current situation wouldn't make things any harder on her family.  
Genrou's wounds had only been _physical_, but Hotaru had been through _extensive_ counselling from the events of the previous year.  
Being held captive at the hands of your favourite cousin, the one you'd grown up with, who'd taught you self-defence, who'd took you shopping and out with _her_ friends was beyond awful.  
In fact, Hotaru hadn't been the same at _all_ until Hiro had started visiting her.  
Then she'd been transformed back to her usual self, as if by magic.  
She'd even stopped needing her therapist!  
That boy had been a _Godsend_.

And if all Sakura had to do to have her daughter back was let her and Hiro have sex, and pay for the contraceptives, then she was _more_ than happy to let that happen.  
Of course, she doubted Syaoran would have _quite_ the same sentiments.

"Can I see her?" Hotaru seemed quite relaxed – far from what her mother had _expected_ her reaction to be.  
Almost _cheerful_.

"_Why_ sweetheart?"

"She's my _cousin_." She smiled, as though it was the most obvious thing in the World.

"Yes, sweetheart, but she…she's done-" Sakura was interrupted by her daughter.

"I _know_ what she's done, but my counsellor said she might need some help _herself_ – she said that the _last_ thing Ady needs is for everyone to be all judgmental and…_weird_. So I want to go and see her. I think she'd like that."  
Hotaru looked at her brother for support.

"I dunno, Aru-"

"We're going to see our cousin and help her with whatever she needs." Hotaru's tone didn't suggest it was up for discussion, and Syaoran smiled.  
She was _so_ much like her mother.

**Now**

Meilin knocked briefly on the door to her daughter's room, not caring that there was no reply.

_Mild concussion.  
All that, and she gets away with mild concussion. _

"I wanna go home." Adorare's eyes didn't move from their current spot, but her words had an impact all the same.

_Home?  
Where is her home now?  
__Where has she been?_

"This _is_ your-"

"No, it isn't. This is _your_ home. Yours and…and _his_…"

"_He_ is your _father_." She flinched at this, although unsure of how to respond.

"But-"

"But _nothing_! _You're_ the one that told him, not _me_, and you _will_ make an effort. And you're _not_ running away again – Sakura put a charm thingy on the house, so you _can't_." She pretended to ignore her daughter's flinching at the mention of Sakura's name, and walked straight out, slamming the door behind her and bumping straight into her cousin.

**Eriol's Place**

"What d'you _mean_ you can't _sense_ her?" Tomoyo frowned, staring straight up at him from where she lay on his bed, tilting her head slightly.

_God, she looks gorgeous like that! _

"I tried and tried – it's like she has no _aura_."

"There's no way she could _hide_ it?" He shook his head.

"Not from _me_."

"Oh. So what you gonna do?"

"Not much I _can_ do." Tomoyo sat up, draping her arms around his neck, in an attempt to comfort her husband, leaving only a sheet to separate their naked torsos.

_Did he just flinch?  
__Or was that me?  
__Oh, now he's gonna think I don't want to hug him, that I'm doing it because I thought I had to…!  
__Damn._

In an attempt to reassure her husband, she kissed his neck lightly, causing his body to tense, and he turned his head towards her, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"You used to do that when-" Eriol didn't complete his sentence, however, as though he was scared of the impact his words may have, but she wasn't letting him off that easily.

"When I wanted to have sex." She gave a little, tinkling laugh, knowing he thought it was cute.

He raised an eyebrow.

"So, are you…?" He turned to face her.  
She kissed him again, ravenous this time.

"_Very_."

**Adorare's POV**

I leant my head against the cool glass, desperately trying to think of _something_ I could do.  
But it was impossible.

I had no idea _what_ kind of charm there was, if any – but if Sakura had put it on the house, it'd be strong.  
And there'd probably be _awful_ consequences if I tried to mess with the boundaries.

I stared around the empty white room.  
No colour, barely any furniture…

And she'd called this _my_ room.

_Is that all I mean to her?  
An empty white room?  
__What did they do with all my stuff?  
__Burn it?  
__Are they even gonna punish me for what I've done? __  
__Not that there was anything they could really do to hurt me more than anything else I'd had to face in this past year, but I had no doubt that they'd probably try._

My thoughts were interuppted by a gentle knock on the door, followed by a louder, more _assertive _one.

Was she waiting for me to reply?  
My mother _never _did that.  
Maybe she was bringing me clothes?

I looked down at what I was wearing.  
A grey sweater-dress over black jeans, grey boots.  
A mess, of course.

But I _had_ been hit over the head _twice_, dragged around _and_ saved my mother's life.  
I was _allowed_ to look a _little_ scruffy, surely?

Another sharp knock.

"_What_? Jesus!" I stared out the window, tracing patterns on the glass.  
And as the door swung open, I didn't even _bother_ to look up.  
Just continued tracing patterns.

A self-conscious cough behind me.  
The door closing.

"Uh…Ady?" I froze.  
I recognized that voice.  
And it certainly _wasn't_ my mother.  
I turned slowly, tension seeping from every muscle.

Genrou and Hotaru.  
Standing there, clear as the day I'd left.

Wow, Aru had grown.  
And Gen looked like a _proper_ man, really gorgeous...mind you, he _would_ be nearly sixteen now.

"Um…Hi…" Hotaru smiled at me, then looked across at Genrou, as though expecting him to say something.  
Because she knew how much I was struggling to comprehend the situation - even after a year, she still knew me better than anyone else, no matter what had happened.

"So…how _are_ you?" To which he earned a glare from Aru.  
But I got a feeling he felt about as awkward in this situation as I did.

"I have a headache." A nervous laugh.

"I brought you some clothes and stuff…I dunno if they're your size, but I thought, seeing as all yours are at The Mansion."

_The Li Mansion_?

"Why? I mean, why's it there? And why are you being so _nice_…to me, I mean…?"

"Your stuff was there from where you had to stay last time, and your mum didn't wanna move it, said she wanted it to be left the way you liked it…and you're my cousin – like my _actual_ cousin now, coz of uncle Touya and everything…"

"But I-" She held her hand up to stop me talking.

"I _know_ what you did, but we're gonna forget it, aren't we?" She turned to Gen, who was scowling slightly.

"_Aren't we_, Gen?" He jumped at her tone, nodding reluctantly.

"And Hiro will too." Gen's expression worsened at the mention of his best friend, and I _knew_ straight away what was going on.

"You two _finally_ got it together, huh?" She blushed, and knew I didn't need an answer.

"I'm sorry."

"We know." Genrou was the one who said this, and something in his tone suggested he actually _meant_ it.  
And, for some reason, just seeing them there, ready to forgive me, made all thoughts of escaping evaporate from my mind.

**Eriol's Place  
****Eriol's POV **

I lay there, Tomoyo's body wrapped around my own, in such a way that I could feel her heart pounding alongside my own, could feel her chest rising and falling in time with mine.  
She had been laying there, on top of me, barely moving, for a while now.  
I didn't have the heart to move her.  
Besides, I knew if I did, I'd only miss the warmth of her body later.

"You awake?" She looked up at me, a sleepy smile playing on her lips.  
She moved her arms slightly so she might place them round my neck and kiss me tenderly.

"You look sleepy." I smiled down at her, stroking her gorgeous, inky hair from her face.

"We've been here for-" She looks at my bedside clock, and I have to admit, even I'm a little surprised to learn that we've been here, in bed, for _four hours_.

"Time flies when you're having fun." She laughed, swatting me slightly with the palm of her hand.  
She reached out to do it again, but I grabbed her hand, using it to pull her further up the bed, so that her head was nuzzled in to my neck, and even though she _could_ have moved, she didn't.

"Well, we _certainly_ had fun. A _lot_ of fun. You kept fit…I mean, you know…in the past year…you're still…_good_…" Her cheeks flushed, and I smiled slightly.

"_How_ good?"

"_Four times good."_ She whispered this, and I knew I could pretend not to hear if I wanted to.  
But I didn't.

"_Four_?" She nodded, and I laughed.

"Dad? You home?" I jumped, and Tomoyo brought her eyes up to mine.

_Crap_.

"What are we gonna do?" She jumped up, and I frowned, desperate for some sort of a plan of action.  
I sighed, locking the door with a wave of my hand.  
She looked at me, frowning.

"_What_? It'll buy us _some_ time!"

_Hiro's not gonna be too pleased to walk in on this – how are we supposed to explain to him that instead of his mother picking him up today, we spent the afternoon having sex?  
__And now we may or may not be getting back together? _

Tomoyo was running around, desperately shoving on her clothes now.

"Where's my _bra_?" She hissed, giggling like we were naughty teenagers sneaking around.

"Here." I handed it to her from where it had previously been hanging; in a slightly opened draw on the dresser.

"_Dad_?"

"I'll be right down, son!"

"_Tell him I called and said I'd be late, but he'd just left, and I'll come around the front!"_

"Umm...Tomoyo?"

"_What_?"

"You know we're on the _second floor_, right?"

"I'll work out a way!" And she smiled, kissing me lightly on the lips.  
As she clambered out, and I unlocked the door, I had just one thought:

_Now all I have to do is break up with my girlfriend._

_**A/n:  
Ooooh cliffhanger alert!  
God, I'm evil, huh?  
Ah well, you'll survive.**_


	4. Descending

**Chapter 4:  
****Descending **

**Meilin and Touya's Bedroom**

Meilin jumped down on the bed, causing Touya to look over in concern.

"_Careful._" She smiled up at him.

"I _won't_ hurt the baby!" She laughed, and he rolled his eyes from embarrassment.

"I can run, I can jump, I can carry stuff – heck, I could even hang upside down from the ceiling fan. So _relax_, sweetheart, okay? I've done all this before." He pouted.

"Well I _haven't_." She sat up as he pretended to sulk.

"Are you mad at me?" She was serious now, and he knew it.

"_No_. I just wish I'd been there the first time round – I just wish I could've _helped_ with her." She buried her face in his chest, and he wrapped her up in his arms, as though shielding her from the events of the day.

"Umm...Touya?"

"Yeah?" She looked up at him, her face inches from his.

"D'you think you _maybe_ wanna start now?" He frowned.

"What d'you mean?"

"I was just thinking maybe you could, I dunno, go talk to her or something?" His body tensed slightly, but he stayed silent for a few moments.

"Yeah. I guess I could give it a go."

**Sakura and Syaoran's Lounge **

"Is Gen talking to you yet?" Hotaru leant against Hiro, allowing him to wrap her up in his arms.

"Just _barely_. I don't think he's gonna talk to me _properly_ ever again." Hotaru sighed, guilt rising within her.  
She hadn't expected her brother to react _quite_ so badly.

Mind _you_, it probably had _something_ to do with _how_ he'd found out.  
Genrou had just _happened_ to walk in on them making out – of course, he'd _flipped_, and then, when Hiro had come out from 'talking to him', he'd been sporting several large bruises.  
And it was all _her_ fault.

_I broke up their friendship, and I can't even fix it._

"Aru?" She looked up at him.  
Something in his tone suggested he had something very significant to say, and made her somewhat edgy.

"Y-yeah?"

"You _know_ I really care about you, right?" She smiled, but it was only skin-deep.  
Where was this _going_?

"Yeah, I…I do."

"Well, I think…I think I'm…I think I'm falling in lo-" He was interrupted as the front door slammed and Hotaru jumped up, running from the room.  
It had become a routine whenever Li came home – pretend Hiro was there for Genrou.  
Pretend Hiro was leaving.  
Just don't let her father know what was going on.

Hiroshi sighed.

_How'd I get in so deep?  
When her father finds out, he'll flip.  
__Especially now she's on the pill – Mr Li will know what's going on straight away, he's the one paying the bill. _

Hiro got up to leave just as Syaoran had entered the lounge, and he merely held his hand up, as though telling the younger boy to stay still, and closing the door behind him.

_Crap.  
Does he know_?

**Flashback --  
Earlier that day**

"Gen? What were you going to tell me earlier, at dinner?" Syaoran had whispered this, so as not to attract the unwanted attention of either of the females in the household.

"I'm not meant to tell you. Mum says she'll ground me." Syaoran gave a short laugh.

"She can't _ground_ you if I don't let her." And now it was Genrou's turn to laugh.

"She said she'll throw the straighteners at you again if you ask." His father shuddered at this thought.

"Come _on_, Gen, at least give me a _clue_!" The young boy looked up at his father, a sly glint in his eyes.

"You'd have to ask Aru's _boyfriend_." The shock was evident on his father's face.

"_Boyfriend_? She's _fifteen_!" Outrage.  
As though he hadn't been screwing Sakura as soon as they'd hit that age.

"As I was _saying_, you'd have to ask her boyfriend – shouldn't be hard, he's round here _all_ the time."  
And it'd bugged him all day, until it hit him like a truck.

**Present**

"Yes, Mr Li?" No matter how many times he was told to call him Syaoran, he wouldn't – Eriol had _probably _advised him to avoid the temperamental man.

"Do me a favour?"

_Hope I'm not wrong about this.  
__Sakura'll kill me.  
Only one way to find out, I suppose. _

Hiroshi nodded.

"Keep an eye on Aru for me? Apparently she's got some new boyfriend, and I don't want her getting hurt. Okay? Just look after her for me – you're practically _family_, after all – you're like a _brother_ to her."

Hiro looked directly at him now, his eyes widened in horror.

"Well I wouldn't say _brother_ – she's just my friend, that's all."

And as, he left, he prayed that Syaoran wouldn't see his shudder.  
But, as a matter of fact, he did.

And now a phone was going off on the coffee table – Hiro's phone.  
Without even thinking, Li picked it up, shocked to see a text from his daughter staring back at him:  
**_Sorry we didnt get 2 finish, bt I promis I'll b round l8r, bout 7ish, coz dads goin 2 wrk.  
Nd yes, I knw I hav 2 tel him, bt he'll gt mad coz of the whole pill thing!_****_  
Lv Aru x_**

Syaoran stared at the message, re-reading it several times.

_Eriol's son is sleeping with my daughter?  
Anger coursed through his veins.  
Where was Hotaru?  
They needed to have a little chat._

**Adorare's Room**

Adorare looked down at her clothes.  
None of Hotaru's pants had fit her, so she'd chosen a simple black pleated mini-skirt, which ended about three inches from her knees, and a fitted white t-shirt, which thankfully covered her stomach.

She stared out the window, just wanting something to do.

Her stomach rumbled.  
The food her mother had brought her had tasted like crap – in the year since she'd been gone, she'd expected her mother to learn how to cook a little better.  
The pancakes she'd left an hour ago were practically raw, and as soon as she'd so much as placed her fork on the surface, they'd collapsed into a giant puddle.  
And now she was famished.

An edgy knock on the door.  
She spun round.

If her mother saw the disregarded mess of food on the bed, she'd have a fit.  
But she couldn't force herself to eat them.

However, as the door opened, she became very aware that the person behind it wasn't her mother.  
It was the person she'd been dreading to see since she got back 'home'.  
Standing there, in the doorway, looking about as uncomfortable as she felt, was her father.

**Eriol's Office  
Tomoyo's POV **

I glanced around the office, frowning.  
This place was bathed in darkness.  
But Eriol had told me that he was gonna be here today – was he just blowing me off?

And then I saw her – Eriol's secretary.  
Eriol's blonde, leggy, drop-dead secretary.

_Bet she's never had a kid.  
Skinny bitch._

She was walking into his office now, leaving it ajar behind her and revealing a glimmer of light.

_What the hell is she doing?  
Is he in there?_

Without even thinking about it, I stuck my head against the door, listening intently for any signs of life.  
Sighing.  
My _husband_'_s_ sighing.

_Okay, so his secretary's in there with him.  
It could still be innocent._

"Eriol, sweetheart, what's wrong? I came as soon as I got your message." I bristled immediately.  
_Sweetheart?_

"Amy, don't- I…listen, I think you're a great person and everything, but-"  
He was cut short.

"Are you dumping me?" She sounded as shocked as I felt.

"N-no, I mean, yes, kinda- I mean, we were never really dating or anything, so…" A sob.

"Excuse me? So the fact that we've been having sex for the past month means nothing to you?" My knees trembled, in a way that made me feel as though they may collapse at any minute.

_He's been seeing someone?  
For a month?  
And he's been screwing her?_

"Amy, I'm sorry. I needed someone to comfort me, and you were there. I love my wife."

"Oh, so now you love her?"

"I never really stopped."

_Why didn't he tell me?  
How could he?  
We haven't even received our papers yet!_

"But I don't understand – you said she was the one who'd got in touch with her solicitor first – she's the one who wanted to get a divorce, so why shouldn't you have a little fun? Don't you think she's probably off screwing some rich designer at that company of hers?"

How does she know about the company?  
How much has he told her?

"No, Amy, I don't." There was a sharp edge to his voice, so that even I jumped a little.

_Oh, so he doesn't like the idea of me screwing someone else, but it's fine for him to be doing his secretary?_

"You can't still love her! She's like…old!"

And now I'd had enough.  
I stormed into the office, punching the little tart square in the jaw.

**Touya's POV**

"We both know that your mother's culinary skills leave something to be desired." To which she gave a tinkling laugh – the same that Meilin gave when she was nervous.

_Okay, so now what?_

I looked down at her, under the pretence of picking up the old tray, now with a puddle of batter in the middle.

Should I just leave?  
She was now munching away at my pancakes, a surprised look on her face.

"Wow – so you can cook? Thank God." She smiled – a warm sort of smile, one that I couldn't help but return.  
Okay, that could've gone worse.

_At least now I can tell Mei we had a little chat.  
That'll make her feel better.  
Hopefully._

I turned away, preparing to leave.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, causing me to spin round, frowning.  
Why's she apologising?

"For, ya know…telling you and everything."

"Don't be. I'm glad you did."

"She told me my dad was dead. I was mad."

"So was she."

"Do you believe in karma?" I knew I was frowning again, but I couldn't help it.  
The question had taken me by surprise.

_Why's she asking me about karma?  
Was she at some religious retreat or something?  
Oh, please, tell me she's not training to be a nun or something..._

"Yeah, I guess, why?" She smiled, as though lost in thought.

"I think everyone got what they deserved." She seemed saddened at this thought, and I had a feeling that she wasn't talking about me or her mother any more.

Where had she been the past year?  
And what had happened there?

"What about you?"

She looked up at me, tears in her eyes, and I had a sudden bout of emotion for my daughter.  
My daughter.

"Oh yeah. I got what I deserved." A tear rolled down her cheek, and I found myself putting my arm around her.

"What happened?" She brought her hands to her face, shaking her head as though her memories might go along with it.  
A tiny sob escaped her, and I wondered if I should call Meilin.

"Adorare?" Something in my voice had changed, and I think she recognized this, because she looked straight at me.

"I guess you could say I-"

**What's Adorare got to say?!  
****Find out next chapter!**


	5. Floating

**Chapter 5:  
****Floating **

**Sakura and Syaoran's kitchen **

Syaoran stormed into the kitchen, where a _very_ surprised Hotaru was peeling potatoes for their dinner.

_Did mum and dad have a fight again_?

And then she saw it – Hiro's phone in her father's tight grip.  
And she froze.

_Oh no.  
__Please God, no._

"Are you screwing him?" Her father's tone suggested he already _knew_ the answer, and he slammed the phone down as though hardcore evidence.

"W-who?" Her hands were trembling, in a way that she had to _stop_ preparing dinner, and rest them on the worktop.

"What do you _mean_ 'who'? Are you screwing that fucking _kid_?" Her father's tone caused her to jump now, and she knew she was treading on eggshells.  
But she still didn't _dare_ to answer her father, which only seemed to fuel his anger more.

"_Hotaru_!" He turned her towards him now, his grip tightening on her arms, scaring her more than he'd ever done.

Mind you, she'd never really _crossed_ her father before – she'd never even done anything to upset _either_ of her parents.  
Gen was the bad one.  
Not her.  
Never her.

They were face to face now, but she just _couldn't_ bring herself to look into his eyes.  
She'd never let her father down before.

"_Are_ you? And am I the idiot _paying_ for you to _do_ it?"  
She didn't have to answer, however, as Genrou came in.

"_Hey_." He looked between the pair for a moment.

_Wow.  
Dad actually worked it out!_

"Gen? Is she screwing _Hiro_?" Genrou gave a short laugh.

"_Duh_."  
And Syaoran looked back towards his daughter, but she was busy glaring at her brother.

"Why's everyone _yelling_?" Sakura stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her gaze shifting among them.

"Because she's doing Hiro." Hotaru lunged at her brother now, and her father _just_ managed to restrain her.

"Would you stop _saying_ that?"

"But you _are_!"

"Oh, and you're a freaking _virgin_, are ya?"  
Sakura sighed, sitting down.

"_Hoeee_."

"Aru, we're talking about _you_, not Gen." Syaoran glared.

"So it's okay for _him_ to be like the school _pimp_? But not okay for me to like _one_ guy?"

"Yes. You're too _young_!" Syaoran yelled at his daughter now.

"Yeah, you _are_, Aru." Genrou poked his toungue out at his sister.

"You're _such_ a grass!"

"You're screwing my best friend."

"Would you shut _up_?"

"No." Hotaru made to lunge at her brother again.

"_Okay_, Gen – that's enough." Sakura glared at her son, who merely whimpered in reply.

"W-what did _I_ do? _She's_ the one who-"

"I said _enough_! Upstairs, both of you! And I don't want to hear another _peep_ out of you for the rest of the evening!" Their mother's tone caused them _both_ to jump slightly, and they fled obediently.

_There's only one way I'm gonna win this.  
__And it's not gonna be by coming at him with the straighteners.  
__I'm gonna have to be nice.  
__Crap.  
__I really wanted to throw those straighteners at him again. _

"You're as bad as T-"

"_Don't_ say Touya." Syaoran sat down opposite his wife, his face red with rage.

"Syao, she's _fifteen_." Sakura held her husband's hand.

"That's too _young_! She's just too young to be needing _contraceptives_!"

"Would you rather she was just having _unprotected_ sex? Would you rather her get _pregnant_?" Her husband's eyes widened in fear.

"_No_ – she shouldn't be doing it at _all_!" He sighed.

"Especially _not_ with Eriol's son!" She nodded, smiling slightly.

"So _that's_ what this is all about."

"No, it's _not-_"

"Yes, it _is_ – this is all about her being with Eriol's son. It bugs you that one day you might be in-laws, seeing as you've managed to avoid it so far. It's got nothing to do with her _age_ – we were fifteen when we first…"

"Yeah, but she's so _small_! I mean, she's like _five foot_ – she can't be screwing anyone!"

"So she can't have sex coz she's _small_?"

"_Yes_!" She smiled pityingly at her husband.  
If only he knew how much of a mistake he'd just made.

"You know, I'm quite tiny. Like five foot four…and she's _taller_ than me – at least by an inch." He moved to the seat next to her now.

"But we're _married_."

"But we weren't when we _did it_." He sighed.

_Crap.  
I'm losing.  
__Now what? _

"But we were in _love_."

_That's good, Li.  
__Tell her that you love her. _

"How'd you know they're _not_?"

"They're too _young_!" Sakura laughed slightly.

_If that's the way you want to be, Mr Li, let's see what you think of this._

"Well then, I guess _we _can't have sex either."  
To which his whole body tensed.

"Why _not_?"

"Coz we have to make up for all the times we _shouldn't_ have done it. That should be about…six years worth?" He shuddered at the thought of this.

"Y-you can't _do_ that!"

"Why _not_?" She glanced up at him defiantly.

"B-because…"

"Promise you'll stop making such a big deal about this? And you _won't_ kill Hiro? Or Eriol? And you won't stop them seeing each other?"

"_But_-"

"No sex. For _six years_."

"_Fine_." Through gritted teeth.

_I can't believe I let her win like that!  
__But six years!  
__That's not even natural_!

She kissed him lightly, but he pulled her closer to him, putting his arms round her waist.

"Syao, not _here_ – the kids are right upstairs!" A giggle escaped her.

"_So_?" He kissed her again, and she found herself melting into it.

"Syaoooooo!" She whined.

"Can't we just send them out somewhere?" He murmured, and she found herself seriously contemplating it.

"And say _what_?"

"That they should get some fresh air?" She giggled more, and he nuzzled her neck.

"We can't _do_ that!"

"Ah, they'll probably just think we're fighting! They'll be too scared to come out now, anyways. Now, where _were_ we?" He nuzzled her neck some more, and she frowned.

"Syaoran! Not in the _kitchen_!" But he wasn't even listening now, but was lifting her onto the table.

"It's where we make _food_." But it was too late.

**Eriol's Office**

"_Ouch_!" The pretty blonde fell straight off the desk she'd been perching on, screaming, and Eriol grabbed his wife, pulling her away from the injured secretary.

"I'll give you _old_ in a fucking minute!"

"Tomoyo, calm _down_! You can't attack people you don't even _know_ for some stupid _comment_!" To which she responded by spinning round and punching _him_.

"That doesn't mean you can attack _me_!"

"Well who _can _I attack then?"

"No one!" He grabbed her waist, stopping her attacking 'Amy' again.

"_She_ called me _old_!"

"You _are_ old!" The secretary stomped her feet now, as though she could easily throw a tantrum any minute.

"Old?! I'm not too old to knock your fucking teeth out!"

"Calm _down_! Jesus, Tomoyo!"

"_Calm down_? I'll give you calm down in a minute!" And she grabbed the nearest item, which just happened to be a stapler, and lobbed it straight at his head.

"Oh my _God_ – she's crazy! You can _have_ him!" And the secretary fled, meaning that the hole-punch that had been aimed at her head hit the door instead.

"She seemed nice." Her voice oozed with disdain.

"I was _ending _it with her!"

"You shouldn't have! You _deserve_ each other!"  
She picked up an old vase that had been sitting in the corner of the office, and Eriol held his hands up, signalling that she should be careful.

" Tomoyo, _don't_ – that belonged to Clow. It's worth _thousands_!"

"Too _bad_ – he'd be disappointed in you, Eriol Hiiragizawa! He'd understand _me_!" And he just managed to duck before she threw the vase, and it smashed into a thousand pieces on the wall behind him.

"_Tomoyo_! We were getting a _divorce_!"

"So? We don't have our papers yet! You can't just jump into bed with the nearest _bimbo_ you find!"

"Why _not_? You dumped _me_! It's not like I _cheated _on you, or anything!"

"But you _slept _with her! In the _same_ bed we-"  
He stopped her.

" Tomoyo, not that I don't love fighting with you, but are we getting back together or _not_?"  
She sighed for a moment, as though relenting.  
And then her eyes widened in horror, as though she was having a sudden realisation.  
And her expression hardened once more.

"Does Hiro know? About you and…does he know?" She looked up at him, but he found that he couldn't quite meet her gaze.

"She was leaving as he got home one day. I introduced her as my friend. I don't think he bought it." She nodded slowly, processing this new information.

"I'll be in touch via my solicitor."

And she left, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
And something told him she wouldn't be back.

**Adorare's Room  
****Adorare's POV **

"I guess you _could_ say I-" Before I could stop myself, I sobbed, and I knew my composure had collapsed completely.  
And, before I knew it, he was hugging me even tighter to him, and I was sobbing hysterically into his chest.

"Adorare? What _happened_ to you?" His voice was gentle, and I could've laughed at the fact that we'd never even _spoken_ prior to this.

"I was on the street, I had nowhere to go…"

"I can't hear you properly."

"I got raped." I was sure he'd heard me this time, as his whole body tensed, and, as I sobbed more, he stroked my back.  
I could tell he wanted to know more, but couldn't ask.

"There was so _many_ of them…they were _everywhere_. And no matter how much I screamed, no one would come. Why wouldn't they help me?" His grip around me tightened even more now, and I knew he was at a loss for what to say.

"Where did you _go_?"

"The hospital. They stitched me up, did tests. Tried sending me to some children's home. I ran away from there, too. You know, you think with all that magic and martial arts and stuff…you think you're safe. But you're not."

"Wait a minute…what d'you _mean_ they stitched you up?"

"They stabbed me. Practically ripped my stomach open." I moved back now, lifting my top slowly so he could see my scar.  
The long, deep scar that stretched the length of my stomach.  
I could see the horror on his face as I traced the line across my stomach, and I knew he was wondering what to say.  
Turned out he didn't _need _to say anything, however, because it was at this precise moment my mother decided to walk in.

**Meilin's POV**

I walked in as Adorare was tracing a long, deep line on her stomach.

_Has she had a caesarean?  
__Now, come on, Mei, she's not you.  
__She's not that stupid._

"Hey, mum."

Something was wrong.  
I could just tell.

Adorare's face was red and blotchy, and Touya's arm was around her in that protective way that he did to me.

"W-what…_what_?" I nodded towards her stomach, and her face crumpled a little more.

Touya hugged her.

_He's hugging her.  
__They're getting along_?

"What's going _on_?" I stamped my foot, and Adorare laughed slightly.  
A muffled laugh, but a laugh none-the-less.

"Mei, I think you'd better sit down."  
And I did.

**Tomoyo'****s Sitting Room  
****Tomoyo****'s POV **

The phone rang, and it took me a while to work out whether I wanted to pick it up or not.  
Could I really face talking to anyone?  
I'd just ended my marriage for a _second_ time, and I swear, if it wasn't for Hiro, I'd probably seriously be contemplating suicide.

_What was I thinking?  
__Is it really that big a deal if he slept with someone else?  
__He dumped her for me.  
__He said he still loved me.  
__But he screwed her.  
__In the same bed as me.  
__As far as Hiro's concerned, his father's got a new girlfriend.  
__And he never told me. _

"_Hello_?" I know I probably sounded like a bitch, but I was _hardly_ in a good mood.

"Tomoyo?" His voice alone brought tears to my eyes, and I wondered how I'd ever manage to organize the whole divorce.

"Eriol, I can't talk to you right now. I need some space. I can't get over you if you don't let me. And if you loved me, you'd respect that."

_He's gonna hate me for this.  
__But he hurts me so much.  
__I can't let myself get in that situation again.  
__I can't let myself fall in love any more.  
__I have to get some closure. _

"Tomoyo! It's not that! It's Hiro! I think he's dead!"

**Ha!  
What d'you think about that?!**

**And is Hiro dead?**


	6. Sinking

**Chapter 6:  
****Sinking**

Hotaru stared out of her window, unreachable.

_I told him I was gonna be there.  
__I told him I was gonna meet him last night.  
__I told him I was gonna go round and see him, and I didn't.  
__And all the while he was lying in a pool of his own blood.  
__All because I decided I'd rather play video games with Genrou.  
__God, it hurts. _

A single tear ran down her cheek.

Downstairs, her mother and father, sitting at the dining table, barely noticing the coffees they were _meant_ to be drinking.  
Each stirring the contents round and round.

"She's gone straight back to how she used to be." Sakura glanced up at her husband.

"How'd you mean?"

"You must've _noticed_ how she changed…when she stopped needing her counsellor, she put all those photos up, she started going out with her friends again…she just got better…she was so much _happier_…everything was okay again!" Syaoran seemed surprised.

"That was coz of _him_? They've – she's been screwing him for _six months_?"  
Sakura smiled slightly.

"_No_! They didn't start…it started when Hiro came to see Gen one day, and he'd just gone to the shop for me, so he waited, and I told Aru to go keep him company – next thing I knew, he was coming round on Wednesdays when Gen was at football to see _her_…they were laughing, joking around…it was just so _great_ to see her like that, Syao…and then, a couple of weeks ago, she asked me for…you know…" She rested her head on his shoulder.

"So _that's_ why you did it?" He stroked her hair, and she nodded.

"I just liked having her _back_. But now she's gone again, and I don't _know_ how to fix it!"

"We'll just have to wait and see what my mother's medics have to say…" Sakura sighed.

"I wish Tomoyo was speaking to me…I wish I could be there for her…"

"Why don't you go call her? I'm sure you can put this stupidness behind you for now…You're best friends, Saku…"

**Hotaru's Room**

She just sat there, as she had all day.  
Alone, oblivious to the outside world.  
Wishing there was something she could do.  
Wishing she knew why she couldn't _think_ any more.  
Just wishing.

"He loves you." Hotaru glared up at her brother as he sat on the edge of her bed, annoyed at the intrusion.

"How would _you_ know? _You_ weren't even talking to him!" He tensed as she said this, and she immediately regretted the harsh tone she'd adopted.

"He _told_ me…He said he'd never usually risk our friendship over a girl, but he _loved_ you…I was _mad_…I didn't wanna lose both of you." She leant her head on his shoulder now.

"He can't have _meant_ it…who falls in love at _sixteen_?" She immediately realised her mistake, but he pointed out the obvious anyway.

"Mum and dad fell in love _before_ that…and Hiro's parents…why not _you_?" His sister sighed.

"Because they're _different_…what's so special about _me_?" Genrou could hear the pain in his sister's voice, and he knew he was treading on eggshells.

"I've _never_ heard him talk like that before…and I've never seen him look at a girl like he looked at you, and I _know _he must love you, Aru…the only question is whether _you_ love _him_...?"  
The door creaked behind them, providing Hotaru with an excuse not to answer her brother.

"Any news?" Genrou was the first to question his mother.

"No…the doctors just said that if he stays asleep much longer, they'll have to officially diagnose it as a coma."

"Do you know what happened yet?" Sakura shook her head.

"Just that he was hit with a heavy object…he was hit on the front of the head, though…so when he wakes up, he'll be able to tell us who _did_ that to him."

"_If_." Hotaru muttered, and both her mother and brother sighed.

"Sorry. _If_ he wakes up, he'll be able to tell us who did that to him."  
Genrou frowned.

"How'd you mean? Couldn't he have just _slipped_ or something?" Sakura shook her head once more, and Hotaru looked up, as though finally deciding to engage in the conversation.

"There was a vase thing on the floor with blood on it…"

"Sounds like what Ady did to me!" Genrou, laughed, and Hotaru smiled appreciatively.  
It was one of those rare times she was grateful for Gen's stupid jokes.  
It was just nice to know that he was trying to cheer her up.

The siblings embraced, reunited in their grief, and neither of them paid much attention as their mother left, nor did they see the shocked expression on her face.

_He's right…  
__And Mei did get me to take that spell off that was keeping Ady in the house…  
__But surely Adorare wouldn't start this all up again?  
__And she said that it was an accident with Gen anyways.  
__It is a little strange that this started when she came back…  
__Mind you, didn't Mei say that Nakuru attacked Ady…?  
__But surely she wouldn't attack Eriol's son!  
__He's her master, for God's sake! _

**Meilin and Touya's Bedroom**

Meilin's limbs shook, her teeth chattered.  
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.  
Consumed in darkness.  
A shiver.

All she could think of was her daughter's _ordeal_.  
And how she'd gone through it _alone_.

_And all because of me.  
__Because I didn't tell Touya from the start.  
__They must all hate me. _

The study door slammed, and there were footsteps further along the corridor.  
Touya was supposed to be working on his CV, but evidently he'd decided there were more pressing matters to deal with.

"What's up?" She muttered as he sat opposite her on the bed.

"I couldn't focus properly…I was too worried about you and-"

"Why are you being so _nice_?" She exploded, and he jumped slightly.

"_What_?" He gave a disbelieving laugh.

"Stop _pretending_ you don't hate me!" She knew she was yelling, but she couldn't contain her anger.  
Not that she knew why _she_ was angry.

"Mei, what are you _screaming_ at me for?" She turned to glare up at him.

"Because you're _lying _to me!" She yelled, louder now, practically indecipherable.

"Lying about _what_?" He attempted to adopt a soothing tone, knew that Meilin's screaming would be _more_ than audible to their daughter.

"You're mad at me for fucking up our daughter's life! You're blaming _me_ for what happened to her!"

"No, Mei, you're blaming _yourself_!" He cried, and their eyes met.  
And her face crumpled.

"How can I _not_?" He wrapped her in his arms.

"Mei, you _can't_ take all of this on your shoulders! You can't blame other people's actions on yourself. It's not _right_!"

"But I shouldn't have kept her a secret from you, and I shouldn't have messed up her life, and I shouldn't have _let_ her leave last year!"

"You didn't _let_ her leave, she ran away while you were in _hospital_, and you _didn't_ mess up her life! And for what it's worth, Mei, I don't _blame_ you for not telling me about her – I was a complete _bastard_ to you after we split up."  
She shook her head against his chest now, and he smiled.  
They tried to make a point of _not_ mentioning their time apart, but one of them would inevitably slip up, and it served them better to laugh than cry.

"You weren't a…well, I deserved it." She laughed, and Touya soon joined her, wrapping her in his arms.  
Which was unfortunately, Meilin realised, something he wouldn't be able to do for much longer.  
She just wondered how long it would be before her bump would become noticeable.

"You know we'll have to tell them all soon…" Touya seemed to read her mind.

"I know…I just want Ady to get settled properly before we drop _that_ on her…" She frowned, and he smoothed her brow with a gentle finger, ironing out the creases.

"What d'you think she'll _say_?" Meilin stared down at her stomach now…her only slightly _bloated _stomach.

"I haven't a _clue_, but I don't think she's ever really liked being an only child…" She smiled slightly, amazed at how _different_ this pregnancy was.  
How much _happier_ it was going to be.

"Mei?" There was an imperative tone to his voice, and she became very aware that he required her eye-contact.  
Aware of how important this was.

"Yeah?" She knew she sounded nervous, but there was nothing she could do.  
It was _very_ rare for anything to become this decided between them, and she wasn't sure what to expect.

"Marry me."  
She froze.

"W-_what_?" He laughed at her expression, somewhat sadistically, she thought.

"Marry me." Her gaze turned into an accusing one.

"Are you just doing this coz Ady's back, and I'm pregnant?" To which he shook his head repeatedly.

"I haven't been out of the house since any of this happens, _right_?" She frowned again, not understanding, but answering anyways.

"Right…"

"Open that top drawer." She frowned, but knew he wasn't going to say any more until she'd done as he said.  
So, with a certain degree of anxiousness about her, she allowed a shaking hand to delve into the drawer, and frowned as she pulled out a small, black box.

And then it hit her.  
This was Touya's drawer, and Touya's box.  
And she _knew_ what it contained.  
After all, it was a black box, just the size of a ring box…

_That's because it is a ring box, stupid.  
You have to say something, Touya's waiting. __  
__He wants you to answer him.  
__Because he wants you to be his wife! _

And, suddenly, she came to.

"Oh my _God_." She whispered, and she knew he was scanning her face for any tell-tale signs of her answer, but she wouldn't allow one to surface.

"Good 'oh my God' or bad 'oh my God'?" A somewhat nervous tone to the voice.

"Oh my _God_!" She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him repeatedly.

_I'm gonna be a bride!_

Touya laughed.

"Put it _on_, then." And, as he opened the box, she was momentarily winded.  
A diamond, surrounded by five rubies, forming a gorgeous lotus flower - her favourite.

"T-touya! How could you _afford-_" He intertwined his fingers with hers, and they sat there for a moment, staring at their hands.

"I saved up. For a _long_ time. I always wanted to marry you, Mei…I just never had a good chance to ask you. Now just seemed perfect." She nodded.  
It really _was_ perfect.

**The Next Morning**

Touya padded downstairs, yawning as he went.  
He'd left Meilin to have a lie-in, she'd had a rough few days and he knew she could use some rest.

He frowned as he noticed the kitchen light on.  
Seemed he wasn't as alone as he thought.

"Morning, Adorare." The teenager spun round, surprised at the company.

"Morning…" She stopped, as though unsure of _what_ to call him.  
There was now an awkward silence.

She poured herself some orange juice, and he flicked the switch of the kettle, both playing for time.  
But, as the kettle boiled, and she realised he had nothing to say, she decided to take advantage of it.

"Were you guys _fighting _last night?" She didn't bother to look at him, and he was somewhat surprised now.  
He wasn't _used_ to having anyone else around, hearing everything they said or _did_.  
He was silent for a moment, composing his thoughts.

_I'm still her father, and Mei's her mum…  
__We deserve a little privacy!  
I s'pose I should talk to her like Sakura...?_

"That's between your _mother_ and I – nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about." He was being condescending, and she glared, meaning he was barely able to resist the urge to call her a 'kajuu'.

"I may _not_ be flavour of the month right now, but she's my mother, and I love her and I don't want her to get hurt."

"I _told_ you - it's nothing to worry about – we're _fine_." She gulped the last of her juice, and Touya had the feeling she wished it were something stronger.

"Well, I'm _going_ to worry – she's the only family I have left." To which he sighed.

"You have me." She glanced up, confusion and shock clearly playing over her face.

"_What_?" Her tone much softer now.

"I _am_ technically your father – I'm not just your mother's-"  
The door to the kitchen swung open, and Meilin walked in, yawning.

"It's _early_." She muttered, seeing them both so bright-eyed.

"It's _eleven_." Adorare rolled her eyes as her mother nearly poured orange juice into her coffee in the place of milk.

"_Exactly_. Why are you two even _up_ at this time?" To which Touya laughed a little, wondering how long it would be before his _daughter_ noticed the engagement ring displayed so prominently on her mother's hand.

"Just having a little chat with my _father_ – oh, and congratulations, by the way." Meilin frowned for a moment, then remembered, playing with the ring slightly.

"Oh, thanks." She muttered.

"I wasn't talking about _that_ – but I s'pose I should say congratulations _twice_ then…considering." The teenager's challenging gaze met her mother's confused one.

"_Huh_?" Adorare rolled her eyes for a second time.

"Either you're knocked up, or you're putting on weight – which I _doubt_, seeing as you can't cook for crap and even if you _could_, you exercise like hell…" And she began fiddling with her phone.

"_Why_ did God create teenagers?"

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update, guys n gals, but I had a lil computer trouble, and a lil personal thing, but I promise you'll get another, better update soon! **


	7. Flying

**Chapter 7:  
****Flying**

**Meilin and Touya's Place **

"_Crap_! Is that the _time_? I gotta go to work!" Touya leapt up, grabbing the pile of clothes he and Meilin had thrown across the room so carelessly only a few hours before.

"What job is it _today_?" Meilin laughed as he picked up her thong and eyed it quizzically, almost mistaking it for his own underwear.

"Café round the corner." More giggling from Mei as he located the underwear in question, and was jumping to retrieve it from the lampshade.  
He landed on the floor with a thump, and gave up, rummaging around in his large oak dresser, instead.

"One til four." Meilin frowned now, glancing at the clock.

"It's only eleven thirty…you've got _ages_! We could even…"She raised an eyebrow suggestively, and that was all it took.  
In a matter of seconds, a whole new set of underwear was flying across the room, hitting the red and gold wall.

**An Hour Later**

Meilin sighed, allowing the hot water from the shower to massage her aching joints.  
She'd always wondered whether her and Touya's relationship would change when Adorare got back, and after many nights of fretting, she was relieved to see that it would take a lot more than their estranged daughter coming back to stop them in their tracks.  
She gazed around the white and silver bathroom happily.

Touya had designed this room, and she had to admit, when she'd seen the white and silver paint, she was worried it'd be cold, lifeless.  
But _somehow_, he'd managed to turn the room into a sparkling, elegant room before her, and he'd chosen the _perfect _shower, too.  
They'd _Christened_ it they day they moved in.  
She smiled at the memory, but her back tensed in protest, reminding her of the downsides to their _passionate_ love-life.

But, she grinned, they were making up for lost time.

Time which they'd tried (and failed) to forget.  
Time she knew was _her_ fault.  
But, she reminded herself as she reached for a towel, he'd forgiven her.

_But has Adorare_?

The thought came out of nowhere, but she didn't allow it to dampen her mood.  
Because, deep down, she knew that if Ady hadn't forgiven her, she wouldn't have stuck around.  
Sure, they'd forced her to, at first, but now it was through _choice_.

This thought warmed Meilin, and she gave a content sigh.

"Mei? You home?" Syaoran's voice echoed throughout the house.

_Dammit – they're early. _

"Yeah! I'll be right there!" She called, unsure whether they'd heard, but she knew they'd stick around anyway.

**Downstairs**

Tomoyo fell to Meilin's couch with a harsh thump, and threw her head in her hands.  
Sakura sat alongside her, trying as best she could to comfort her friend.  
Eriol was in hospital with Hiroshi, in case of any news, so Sakura had suggested the two of them go to Meilin's, to take Tomoyo's mind off things.

"I'm so _sorry_, Moyo." Sakura stroked her friend's hair.

Meilin's kitchenette/lounge shuddered in silence, the cool blue colours lending themselves well to the atmosphere.

"Any news on _who_ might've-" Her question didn't need to be completed.

"The CCTV wasn't working. They think someone tampered with it. _Someone_ obviously took it out."

"So you think-" Sakura was cut short.

"Adorare."

"But surely she wouldn't-? Not _again_?" She shook her head in disbelief.

"Why _not_? Get him back for grassing her up the _first_ time round!" Tomoyo seemed distraught by this thought, and allowed a small tear to trickle down her cheek.

"Look, I don't _know_, Tomoyo…Meilin says she's changed."

"Yeah? Well she _would-_" Tomoyo had to stop, however, as Meilin entered the room, bringing with her a sort of _glow_.

"Hey, guys! _Hey_, Moyo…any news?" Meilin bounded over to her friend.

"_No_. It seems whoever did it might just get away with it. I mean, we have no _proof_, after all…" Meilin frowned at Tomoyo, genuinely confused.

"So…you _know_ who it was?" Tomoyo laughed, rather bitterly, Meilin thought.

"I have a _theory_." But Meilin _still_ hadn't grasped what her friend was getting at.

"_So_?"

"_So_, isn't it _obvious_? Who's the only person with a _history_ of hitting people over the head? A person who, until _recently_, wasn't _around_." Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as Syaoran entered the room, and gave him a long, grateful kiss.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Your _freaking _daughter!" Tomoyo yelled now, and Sakura and Syaoran broke apart, the latter still slightly dazed from the kiss.  
He didn't have much time to recover, however, as Sakura was soon kissing him again, looking for an excuse to avoid the arguing.

"Don't you _dare_ accuse my daughter of _anything_, Tomoyo Daidouji - Hiiragizawa - Oh, _whatever_ your last name is this week! Jesus, I _know_ she's done wrong – God knows, she's paying for it, but I tried my _best_ with her!" Anger flashed in Tomoyo's usually calm eyes, and she was quick to retort;

"My name is still the same, and you _know_ it…and if she was _my _daughter, I would've done _much_ better."

"Oh, _yeah_, coz you're parent of the freaking year, _aren't_ you? You left your son in _another_ _country_ and ran off, after dragging him away from his _father_!" Tomoyo stared coldly at the other woman now, a malicious tone in her voice.

"At least _my_ kid knew who his father was…and Eriol _knew_ he existed!" If Sakura and Syaoran noticed the raised voices, they were doing a good job of hiding it, barely breaking for air when they needed to.

"Don't give me that, Tomoyo! You have no _idea_ the situation was in! I suppose _you_ would've had an abortion, huh, Moyo? Another mistake to be swept under the carpet, just like your _marriage_?" Sakura pulled away from her husband now, sure that Meilin had finally gone too far, and Syaoran looked up at her, dazedly.

"_Yeah_? Well at least _my_ child's not a psycho killer." Tomoyo's voice was filled with such malice that it was as though Meilin had been punched in the stomach.  
And she launched at the other woman, much to the surprise of the other occupants of the room, _including_ Tomoyo.

"Shut _up_, Tomoyo! She's had a freaking _rough_ life, and I did the _best I could_!"  
She muttered, while pulling her hair.

"Yeah, well it wasn't freaking _good_ enough!"  
Tomoyo pinched her friend.

"Well maybe I was _sick_ of having to help everybody _else_ – I had to help those two get together-" With a careless wave towards Syaoran and Sakura, who both jumped guiltily.

"And helping you get over _her…_" Tomoyo flinched at this, and Sakura and Syaoran exchanged confused glances - in all the years they'd been friends, they'd never quite managed to work out that Tomoyo had had a _slight_ infatuation with her 'best friend'.

"Maybe I should be allowed to get it wrong sometimes, too! And _you_ should be at the hospital, looking after your son, not freaking fighting with a _pregnant_ woman!"

"_Hoeeee_?" Sakura jumped up in surprise, and Tomoyo loosened her grip on Meilin's wrist slightly.

"Dammit." And then, suddenly, it all started up again.

"_Great._ Bring another freaking one into the world!" And they began screaming at each other again, punching, kicking and biting at everything they could.  
And suddenly, they were being yanked apart, still screaming.

"Jesus! Hey, get off my mum!" Adorare's surprisingly strong arms were pulling them apart, dragging Tomoyo away from Meilin.

"Oh, _great_, it's _you._ You come to hit anyone else? Or d'you just wanna skip the formalities and _shoot_ me?" Adorare frowned, confused.

"What did _I_ do?"

"Oh _nothing_. I forgot, you're a freaking _angel_, aren't ya? Destruction just sort of _follows_ you around! Jesus, you have no _idea_ of how much damage you've caused, do you? You know, one of these days, something's gonna happen to you, and you're realise exactly _what_ you've done. Why don't you just run along back to whatever woodwork you crawled out of? Nobody wants you around anyway."  
But Meilin was having none of it.

"Don't you _dare_, Tomoyo, you haven't got a clue _what_ you're talking about!" Sakura and Syaoran exchanged wary glances, both of them knowing better than to try and disturb either Tomoyo or Meilin when they were in a fight.

_That's what I get for trying to help?  
__Jeez. _

"Oh shut _up_, Meilin! You know it's true!"

"No it's _not_! I _know _your kid's in hospital, but it doesn't give you an excuse! The whole planet doesn't revolve around you, ya know!" At which point Tomyo glared at her 'friend'.

"Excuse me? I never said anything of the _sort_ and you know it, Meilin! I just think it's a little unfair that your daughter's got it so good, even though she fucked everyone else's life up!"

"You've no idea what my freaking daughter's been through, so _don't_ go there, Tomoyo!" Meilin's eyes flashed an even angrier red than usual, and Tomoyo seemed to back down for a moment, then changed her mind.

"Yeah, _right_! She ran off for a year, and you had everyone looking for her – tough life! Please, Mei, she lives like freaking _royalty_!"

"Oh _yeah_? Well royalty doesn't get freaking raped!" There was a shocked silence, until Adorare broke the atmosphere.

"_Mum_! Talk about broadcasting it! The _one_ thing I asked you not to do?" Adorare whined, putting her head in her hands.  
Tomoyo stared between the pair of them, taking a while to comprehend what was going on.  
When she finally _did_, however, she shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. But I still think you had something to do with it." And she stalked out.

"Syao…walk her home?" Sakura knew better than to leave Tomoyo alone when she was mad.  
She'd only do something she'd gravely regret the next morning.

**In the Hospital **

Hotaru stared at her boyfriend's life-less body, a silent sob escaping her, as though she was merely out of breath.  
Across the blandly painted room, Genrou paced, his steps and the constant beeping of Hiro's heart monitor serving as the only noise.  
Further down the hall, Hiro's father spoke to various specialists, all of whom had the same sorry statement they'd been hearing for days.

"I'm sorry, sir, but at this time…"

"Your son's been through a lot, but unfortunately…"

"I wish we could be more comfort, but…"

"…we just don't know."  
The same sorry excuses, but no matter how they tried to package it, the bottom line was that _nobody knew_.

They had no way of knowing the extent of the damage.  
No way of knowing when he'd wake up.  
_If_ he'd wake up, at all.

Another sob shook through Hotaru's body, this one very audible.

She hadn't let go of his hand in the three hours they'd been here, and, as the time neared for them to leave, she could only clasp it tighter.  
Something in Hiro's body seemed to notice this sudden pressure, however, and he clenched back, slightly, at first, but then suddenly _stronger_, as though there was a new lease of life in it.

"Whoa. Who _died_?" Hotaru glanced up in shock, her hand still firmly grasping his, and Genrou practically _flew_ across the room.

"_Hiro_?" Aru's voice came out in a whisper, and her attention quickly turned to her brother.

"Go _get_ someone!" He didn't need to be told twice, and his footsteps echoed down the hall.

"We thought you'd _die_! We thought…_I_ thought…Oh, Hiro…please…never…" She sobbed, and he held her in his free arm desperately.

"Aru? Sweetheart? I'm okay, look! _Please_, don't cry!" But she only sobbed more.

"Please, don't do that to me ever _again_, Hiro. I love you too _much_ to watch you die!"

"What?" He placed his hand under her chin, and it appeared that even Hotaru was shocked at her sudden outburst.

"Aru? What did – Did you just say you loved me?" She couldn't turn away now, couldn't avoid it.

"Yes. Yes, I _did_." She seemed suddenly sure of herself, as though she'd finally made a decision that had been plaguing her for months.

"I-" But, as he went to speak again, a group of nurses, Gen _and_ Eriol all burst in to the room, and the atmosphere shattered as they took over, and Hotaru could only watch nervously from the sidelines.

**At Meilin and Touya's**

"She said _what_?" Touya slammed his palms down on the counter in front of him, causing various bottles to clank together.

"Touya, calm _down_." Sakura placed a restraining arm on her brother's shoulder.

"Don't _tell_ me to calm down! How _dare_ she say any of that to Mei? How dare she fucking _blame_ her? And where the hell was your freaking _husband_ while his cousin was being _yelled _at?" Touya's whole body tensed at the thought of such an injustice.

"Don't start on Syaoran! What was he supposed to do, _drag_ Tomoyo away? _Look_, Touya, Moyo was _upset_…She didn't _mean_ it…and Mei gave as good as she got…" He spun round to meet his sister's gaze.

"Don't stick up for her! And what did she say to Ady?" Sakura looked away, guiltily.

"She said she had no idea of the pain she'd caused, and that one day something bad was gonna happen to her…and that nobody wanted her around…" Touya was incredulous at this, and slammed his hands down on the counter again, causing Sakura to wince.

"Look, T, she didn't _know_…nobody did…you could've told _me_, ya know…"

"She asked me not to." She sighed, hugging him.

"I'm sorry." And with that, she left.

_How dare she treat Mei like that?  
__And the nerve of her, accusing Adorare!_

Touya bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and pausing only slightly outside his bedroom door, listening to the faint sobbing on the other side for a moment.  
He opened it carefully, and she looked up at the sound of him entering the room.

"Hi." He muttered, and she wiped fiercely at her eyes, only succeeding at smudging the mascara surrounding them more.  
She glanced down at her hands, now covered in 'black waterproof 002', and sighed, reaching for a face wipe, and rubbing furiously.

"I…Tomoyo and I…"

"I know. Sakura told me." He crossed over to her, now, taking the wipe from her, and wiping at her eyes gently, causing her to blush.

"She blamed Ady, and I lost it. I just couldn't risk this happening all over again. I just…not _now_, T…"

"And you told them about the baby." She flushed more, her cheeks now a brilliant shade of red.

"I'm sorry. It sorta slipped out."

"Don't be. At least now they all know." He finished with the wipe, instead reaching out for her hand.

"Yeah…"

"So, how's Ady?"

"Fine. She never liked Moyo, anyway." She reached her free hand out, stroking his face shyly.

"I love you." He muttered.

"I love you, too."

"You're a _great _mother." She smiled.

"And you're a great father. Even if you haven't had a lot of practice."

"I'll have to practice a little more, then, coz soon I'm gonna have _two_ amazing kids."

**Tomoyo****'s Place  
****Tomoyo****'s POV **

"What the hell are _these_?" He flung the all-too-familiar papers under my nose.

"Divorce papers." As though he needed a reply.

"_Today _of all days? You pick the day our son's coming home to send me _divorce_ papers?"

"Hey, I posted those the _day_ he got attacked, before I even _knew-_" He barged past me, making his way to my sitting room.

"I _thought_ we were gonna work on things! Is this about-" I interrupted him, answering long before he'd even finished, knowing that he hated it.

"Your _secretary_? Yes." He crouched down in front of me, sighing.

"I _dumped_ her. For you. Because you _said_ you love me. And I believed you."

"I do."

"So why can't we _try_?"

"Why _should_ we?" And, for a brief moment, I thought he'd give up, and a strange sense of dread filled me.  
It was soon quelled, however, when I realised that this was far from the case.  
He reached out a hand, cupping my face, and stroked my cheek roughly with his fingers.  
My whole body was gripped by goose bumps, and my face felt as though it was on fire.  
After all this time, one touch from my husband could do so _much_ to me.

"_That's_ why." He muttered, withdrawing his hand, and leaving space for a tear to cascade down my flushed cheek.

"Don't cry." And his hand was reaching out again, brushing away my now free-falling tears.

_Tomoyo Daidouji - Hiiragizawa - Oh, whatever your last name is this week..._Meilin's words flashed through my mind, and I winced.

"This isn't _right_…we're supposed to be splitting up." His hand remained stubbornly in place, although my tears had long since stopped falling.

"So tell me to stop." His reply shocked me for a moment, and I struggled to respond.

_Just say it!  
__But then he'll stop.  
__But we can't keep messing around like this, it's all wrong.  
__But how can it be wrong to be with the man I love?  
__Because you don't trust him. _

"Eriol? When we were…together, did you cheat on me?" His turn to be shocked.

"What? _No_, Moyo, I would _never_…no."

"So those nights when we argued…when you never came home?"

"I stayed at the office. _Alone_."

"Oh."

"_Oh_? Did you ever think I could really-?"

"No. I just needed to hear you say it."

"_So_?" More tears edged down my cheeks, and he sighed.

_It's all down to me.  
__I have to decided, right now, whether our marriage is over.  
__God, it's not fair. _

" _Tomoyo_?" Eriol's voice penetrated my thoughts.

"I just don't _know_ any more." My voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

"What's not to know?" There was a harsh edge to his voice, and I knew that I was about to lose him.

"Why couldn't you just _tell _me about her?" My voice was calm, but he'd had enough, and jumped up, yelling.

"Oh, for fuck's _sake_, Tomoyo! Why d'you _think_? Because I knew you were gonna act like _this_, that you'd use it as an _excuse_ – it was _nothing_, just a fling!" I nodded, slowly.

"Just _sex_?"

"_Yes_. That's all. Just sex."

"So how do I know what happened between us…how do I know _that_ wasn't just sex?" Eriol stared at me, totally exasperated.

"_Tomoyo_! Jesus! Stop looking for an excuse! You're just trying to get out of making a decision! Well, you know _what_, Moyo? You don't _have_ to. Coz as far as I'm concerned, we're done. You're all out of chances, and you don't get to mess me around any more."  
And he headed for the door, leaving me struggling for breath.

**Come back soon, y'all!**


	8. Drifting

**Chapter 8:  
****Drifting**

Tomoyo stared at the glass of vodka in her hand, eyeing it suspiciously.

_I shouldn't be drinking.  
It's ten in the morning.  
And I'm alone.  
And that's the way it's gonna be from now on.  
I should get used to it.  
Get used to the idea of Eriol screwing his secretaries._

At this thought, she drained the glass.

Why had everything in her life gone so **wrong**?  
Just as she had started to adjust to life _without_ him, she'd gone and gotten herself back in, over her head.

"Aaarggghhh!" She screamed, as the phone rang.  
She'd consumed rather a lot of alcohol last night, and the night before, and each shrill ring echoed inside her head.

"Hey, mum…just thought I'd call and see how you were, haven't heard from you in a while…umm…yeah…"

_My own son doesn't know what to say to me._

"I have to go…we've got visitors…Ady and Gen are here, so I'm gonna go…oh, and dad told me to tell you that they found some hair or something in the sitting room. He said you should come down, I mean, if you want. But, umm…I should warn you that aunt Mei's coming, coz we heard what happened, so…yeah. Bye. Oh, and I miss you, mum."  
The line went dead, and Tomoyo sobbed.

_Now even my son knows how nuts I've been acting.  
What about this hair?  
__Should I go?_

**Eriol's Place**

"I heard about what happened with Tomoyo. I'm sorry, Mei, she's just a little…_out of it_ right now – feeling guilty and looking for someone to blame…" Eriol had to whisper this, as Tomoyo was only across the room, having an in-depth conversation with a policewoman who'd come to do some forensic tests, and had set up a portable DNA analyser.

"Hey, it's not _your_ fault – she's not your responsibility any more." A faint smile traced his lips.

"I know. But sometimes, I wish she was." He whispered this, almost as though it scared him.  
Poor Eriol.

It was the day Hiro had been allowed home, and the kids had wanted to have a little a little get-together to welcome him home.  
Of course, the parents had joined in, too, loving the idea just as much as the teens.

_Except Touya._

This thought saddened Meilin.  
It wasn't just today;

_Whenever_ they got together, he'd rarely show.  
He'd usually put it down to work, but she was beginning to wonder if it was deeper than that.  
Did he feel awkward that everyone there knew about his past?  
About his treatment of Mei, about Ady?  
Did he really hate Syaoran _that_ much?  
Did he just not like them?

She shook her head, sighing.  
There were some things about that man that she'd _never _understand.  
But she loved him anyway.  
More fool her.

"So, any news on the baby?" Syaoran placed a protective arm around his cousin.

"Not really. Got an appointment at the obstetrician tomorrow." He nodded.

"Scans?"

"Probably. Doctor says it could be as much as five months by now." He couldn't hide the shock from his face.

"But you only told us _last week_!"

"_Okay_, so I'm not exactly sure _when_ I…" She made a gesture towards her stomach.

"How can you not be sure?" She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I don't take note of every time we _do it_, ya know!" He grimaced.

"_Great_. Now I've got a lovely mental image of you and my brother-in-law." She giggled.

"He'd _kill_ you if he heard you say that, ya know." He nodded.

"Probably. But he _did_ get my ex-fiancée pregnant. _Twice_."

"And you got his sister pregnant. Twice."

"Yeah, well, he could've _had_ one of my sisters-"

"Yeah, but he actually _likes_ his sister."

"Okay, fair point." She arched an eyebrow.

"So…you're _even_?" He grimaced once more.

"I never _said-_"

"You're the _best_, Syao!" And she hugged him fiercely.

"You tryna strangle my husband?" Sakura approached them now, and Meilin smiled.

"_Me_? Never!" Her attention turned to where Tomoyo and Eriol were, standing at the DNA analyser.  
The direction from which Sakura had just come.

"What-?" Sakura shook her head.

"They've found _something_, but-" She didn't have a chance to finish, though, because Meilin and Syaoran were on the scene almost immediately, curiosity getting the better of them.

"_Hair_?" Syaoran frowned at Eriol, who raised his eyebrows.

"I know it doesn't _seem_ like a lot, but if we compare it to any _suspect's_ hair, there'd be an eighty percent match." The policewoman grovelled.

"Except that the whole reason you're _looking_ for clues is because we don't _have_ any suspects!" Eriol rolled his eyes, and the no longer hushed voiced had attracted the children, too.

"Oh. So you have _no_ suspects at _all_?" The officer looked rather defeated.  
But Tomoyo seemed to have an idea.

"Why doesn't _Adorare_ do it?" Meilin glared at her.

"_Excuse_ me? Why _should_ she?"

"Well…that hair _is_ the same kinda colour as hers." But Meilin wasn't fazed.

"It's just _dark hair_ – most of us here have dark hair! Even _you-_"

"Are you trying to say that _I-_"

"Oh, for God's sake!" Adorare grabbed a pair of scissors from the police officer, cutting several strands of hair straight off, much to the shock of the group.  
However, after placing the strands on the small plastic sample disk, she continued to draw the scissors across her finger, dripping a fair quantity of blood alongside them.

Tomoyo raised her eyebrows at this.

"Could've worn a _wig_." Adorare shrugged, sucking her finger to stop bleeding.

_Wow.  
Mum really doesn't trust Ady.  
__Not that she doesn't have a good reason, of course.  
__But surely she wouldn't volunteer to give a sample if she'd done it?  
__No, she wouldn't.  
__Of course not._

**Later That Day**

The phone rang persistently, and Meilin sighed, glancing up from where she stood, chopping vegetables.

"Can somebody _get_ that?" But Touya continued typing on his laptop from where he was on the couch, and Adorare stayed in the armchair, texting.

"_Hello_? I'm trying to _cook_ here!"

"_So_? At least now you'll have an _excuse_ when it comes out bad." Adorare muttered, and Touya raised his eyebrows, preparing for war.

"Adorare! Answer the damn _phone_!" She did as she was told, this time, much to her mother's surprise.

"Hello?"

"Oh. Adorare…hi." Tomoyo supposed she was lucky that the teenager had picked up, as opposed to Meilin, who would've hung up, or Touya, who would've yelled.

"_Hello_."

"Umm…we got the results back."

"Good for _you_." Adorare's tone had attracted both her parents' attention, and they exchanged anxious glances.

"They're negative. I'm sorry." Adorare felt a dash of sympathy for the older woman, and sighed.

"Don't be…I can see _why…_don't be." Her parents seemed even _more_ confused by now, but Tomoyo was just shocked.

"Oh…umm…thanks…say sorry to your mother, for me, please?"

"I will."

"Bye."  
And she clicked off.

"Tomoyo says sorry. She just got the _results_." Meilin nodded, arching an eyebrow.

"As well she _should_ be."

"Oh, leave her _alone_. She was just worried about Hiro." Touya and Meilin exchanged astounded glances.

**The Next Day**

_Three_ months.  
Meilin was gonna have a baby in _three months._  
Her _idiotic_ doctor had given her at _least_ four.  
And she was barely even _showing_.  
How could that be _possible_?  
How could she have gone _five months_ without noticing?  
What was _wrong_ with her?

She stared at the scan in her hand.  
She'd bought it home for Touya to see; he hadn't been able to come today, he'd _begged_ her to change the appointment, but she was _so_ sure it had only been a three, maybe four month check.

When they'd asked her if she wanted to know the sex, she'd been shocked, to say the least.  
And, in her shock, she'd actually said _no_.  
What _was_ wrong with her?

"Mum – Sakura and Aru are here!" Adorare barged in to the room, as usual.  
This concerned Meilin.

"Ady, what have I _told_ you about _knocking_ when you're coming in to the bedroom?"

"Oh, puh-lease, mum. Like I'm gonna walk in on anything – he's not even _here_!" Meilin winced.

"Well, when he _is-_"

"When he's here, I'll knock twice, _and_ give you thirty seconds to get _off_ each other, okay?" Meilin blushed, opening the front door.

"_Not_ what I meant."

"_Sure_." Adorare bent down ever-so-slightly to hug Hotaru, and Meilin hugged Sakura.

"So, did _you_ think I'd done it?" Adorare asked, later, when they were safely away in the privacy of her room.

"Of _course_ not!" Hotaru looked horrified at the idea.

"Thought you'd have _agreed_ with your boyfriend?" It was a loaded comment, designed to find out what Hiro's feelings were on the subject, and Hotaru didn't feel as though she could ignore it.

"I don't actually _know_ what Hiro thought…I haven't spoken to him since he got out…"  
Adorare gawped.

"Why _not_?" It was a simple question, by all accounts; but little did Adorare know, Hotaru had been mentally blocking such questions from her _own_ mind, in such a way that when Adorare asked, so simply, and caught her off-guard, it shocked her to the very core, and reduced her mind to that very _raw_ thought itself.  
It _should_ have been a simple question, but little did Adorare know, a simple question was all Hotaru needed.  
And, as she sat there and sobbed, Adorare merely held her cousin tightly, listening as she recalled the whole sorry saga – her feelings for Hiroshi, Genrou's assurances, and her confession;  
And, as she got to the part where Hiro had failed to reply, had failed to call, email or text, had failed to tell her he loved her too, Adorare truly shared in her pain, for reasons the younger girl would never _truly_ understand.

**Tomoyo's Place**

Tomoyo downed the glass of white rum expertly, recent practice having paid off.  
She'd frantically searched for _anything_ with alcohol in it, and had found an old gift from a client.  
She didn't care much for the taste, but loved the numbness each gulp brought.

She had been _wrong_ about Adorare, and accusing her had isolated Madison.  
Meilin could _certainly_ carry a grudge, and Touya could be _surprisingly_ protective of his daughter – which ensured them Sakura (and therefore Syaoran's) support automatically.

In one fell swoop, she'd managed to lose _everything_ she'd had since she was ten; her friends, her happiness...her _Eriol_.  
The _one_ guy who'd understood her _infatuation_ with Sakura.  
The one guy who cared enough to move half way across the world for her.

He'd only been in Japan for a visit, and for Sakura more than her.  
But something had _changed_ on that trip – and although he didn't admit it til later, he'd moved back, left his guardians behind for _her_.  
She, in turn, had helped him get over Kaho – she'd refused to move with him, had questioned his feelings for Tomoyo…

He'd given her everything he possibly could, and it _still_ wasn't good enough.

"Hey, Moyo…" The answering machine came in to life, causing her to jump, she hadn't even heard it ring, was too lost in her thoughts.

"Look…I _was_ mad…but then I got to thinking…if it'd been _me_, I would've wanted someone to blame, too…" Meilin's voice hovered around the painfully empty lounge.

"Tomoyo…I'm _sorry_…"

"Me too." She muttered as the message ended, to no one in particular.

**The Next Day**

Hiro checked his phone for what felt like the thousandth time.  
Nothing.

He'd text her.  
He'd emailed her.  
He'd begged Genrou to get her to call him.  
So far, all his efforts had been in vain.  
Aru still hadn't contacted him.

So, he'd been interrupted – so, he hadn't gotten the chance to tell her he loved her too.  
As if he wasn't feeling guilty enough!  
And nothing he could do could make it better.  
Because if he told her _now_, she'd think he was saying it because he _had_ to.  
That he didn't really mean it.  
She'd never trust him again.

Hiro glanced around the relatively empty office, from his vantage point at the secretary's old desk (he assumed she'd dumped his father, sick of their 'affair' – if you could call it that).

His father had dragged him here, so he could attend a meeting, as he didn't want for his son to be left alone so soon after the attack.

A light flickered across the way, and Hiro grimaced.  
Mr Li had, unfortunately, had to come in today, too, and Hiroshi had been steadily avoiding him after Genrou had warned him that he knew of his relationship with Hotaru.

_If only I could start all over again.  
If only I could go back, and do things __properly__ – ask Genrou if I could date his sister, tell Hotaru I loved her when I first felt it…ask Mr Showron for permission to date her._

Hiro sat up, his mind reeling.

_But I __could__ ask him…  
Show Aru how much I care about her.  
That'd be proof enough…_

He sat there for a few minutes, contemplating his new plan.  
Could he _really_ do this?  
Would Aru mind?  
Would _Genrou_?

As if answering his question, Mr Li stepped out of his office, glancing up at him for a moment.

"Hiro." He nodded briefly, grabbing some papers and preparing to re-enter the room.

"Umm…Mr Li? Can I talk to you, for a second?" Syaoran could barely hide his surprise at this, nodding slowly.  
He hadn't thought the young man would have the courage to even _acknowledge_ him.

"Come in." He gestured to his door, and Hiro stepped awkwardly in, avoiding the older man's gaze.

Syaoran sat on the edge of the desk in the centre of the room, nodding at a hard looking office chair.  
Hiro assumed he was supposed to sit, and did so out of politeness.

Something told Hiroshi that the older man _knew_ what this was about, and he resisted the urge to squirm under his semi – glowering gaze.

"I-I…I would like permission to…_date_ Hotaru." He cursed himself for the quivering, stammering jumble that this came out as, and Mr Li wasted no time in jumping in.

"You're already…screw-_dating_ her, why d'you need my permission?"

"Because it's the decent thing to do." Syaoran's glare became colder, stonier somehow.

"Why should I give you my permission?" Hiro forced himself to meet those hard amber eyes.

"Because I love her." If Syaoran was surprised by this, he didn't let on; the same cold, distant glare remained on show, and Hiro shivered slightly.

"You're sixteen – she's not even that."

"But didn't you and Mrs Li fall in love before then? I know my parents did."

_Fat lot of good it did them.  
__After all that struggling, fighting to be together, they're getting a divorce._

"How do I know you love her? How can I be sure you care about her the way you say you do?" Hiro stared at the floor for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"Because she loves me too, and you _know_ Aru's not stupid; she wouldn't give me the time of day if she thought I didn't care about her." Syaoran had turned as Hiro said this, and the young man found himself digging his nails into the palm of his hand, truly terrified at the prospect of being rejected.

"How can you be sure she loves you?"

"She told me." He spun round at this, obviously shocked at the allegation.

"She _told_ you she loved you." More a statement than a question, but Hiro felt compelled to say _something_.

"I really _do_ love her, Mr Li. I really do." There was no way he could possibly word it, but the older man seemed to understand perfectly.

"Okay." Hiro's turn to be shocked.

"Okay?"

"Okay. But, Hiro? If you _ever_ do anything to hurt her, you'll have both me _and_ Gen to answer to. And you don't want that."

**Touya and Meilin's Place**

Touya sat on the couch beside his sister, handing her a cup of coffee.

"So, is Mei still pissed off?" She took a sip, grimacing slightly, and he smiled.  
She'd never liked his coffee, and had constantly reprimanded him when they were younger, telling him the sugar would be his undoing if he wasn't careful.

"Ady managed to calm her down a little…"

"Oh. So, uh…how are _you_ and Ady getting on?"

"Okay, I guess. We don't really talk. Whenever we're eating, she stays pretty quiet, and it's like it was just me and Mei again." He tried to shrug it off, but Sakura knew her brother better than that.

"Does she talk to Mei?"

"Yeah. More than she used to, _apparently_. It's just whenever I'm around that she clams up." He sighed, and Sakura felt a lash of sympathy for her brother.

**Tomoyo's POV**

Empty.  
Every bloody bottle in the house.  
Even the _sherry_, which I didn't even like.

In the past two days, I'd managed to drain the contents of over thirty bottles, and several liquor-flavour chocolates.  
As well as taking a variety of pills from the doctor, for my depression, and a few valiums.  
They'd all made me feel pretty sick, in the end, but it was better than thinking of Eriol.

I scrabbled around under the bed, trying to locate a bottle of wine I'd dashed under there in a drunken rage some time earlier.

"Dammit!" I cursed, scraping my hand on the leg of the bed, resulting in a bloody, dusty gash across my wrist.

"_Crap_." I murmured, the stinging sensation causing my eyes to water.

I grabbed a towel from the linen cupboard, making my way to the kitchen sink, and allowing the cold water to cleanse my wound, dispersing all the visible dust.

God, what a _mess_.

**Meilin and Touya's Bedroom**

"How's she doing?" Tori looked up from his paper, shuffling slightly to allow Meilin more room on the bed.

"Okay, I _guess_, she's just being a little quiet…she's been a little off since Aru was here, but now she's just staring out the window…"

"Why don't you just _ask_ her what's wrong?" Meilin rolled her eyes.

"You don't just _ask_ teenagers that kinda thing! If you need to know _anything_, it takes a lot of careful snooping."

"Okay. You know best." She swatted him with the back of her hand.

_Ask him_.  
_You've been thinking about it all day.  
You can't continue fretting about whether or not he hates your friends!_

She eyed Touya carefully as he studied the sports pages of 'HK Today'.

"Touya?" He glanced up at her, smiling.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why…why don't you like my friends?" She hated the way she sounded, it made her feel as though she was five years old again, whining in the playground.

"What?" He chuckled, placing the newspaper on the bedside table.

"Well, whenever we're invited to go see Tomoyo or Eriol, or go out with any of my friends, you never wanna come…even my _family-_"

"Your aunt? That'd be like me asking you to hang around with Sonomi. Look, both our parents are dead, Mei, so the family thing's just pointless…"

"Yeah, but what about Syaoran? And Sakura? What about your niece and nephew, for God's sake?" Her voice had a harsh edge to it, now, and he sighed.

"I talk to Sakura all the _time_, and I'm even polite to the Gak- _Syaoran_!"

"When you actually _see_ him! You never wanna socialise with my friends, Touya!"

"They're _your_ friends, Mei, Sakura's friends, not _mine_ – you don't hang around with _my_ friends." He kept his voice calm, but Meilin could tell he was losing patience with her.

"Only because you never _invite_ me! Jeez, the only friends of _yours_ I've ever met are Julian and _Ruby_." She said this last word with nothing but hatred, and Touya's gaze became slightly colder.

"Don't bring _her_ in to this! So _what _if I like having my own friends? Maybe I _like_ knowing that I can get _away_ from everything once in a while! Maybe I just assumed you did, too!" He was straining to keep his voice level, now, and it cracked under the pressure.

"Yeah? Well I don't have a _need_ to run away from you! I'm not ashamed of my past, _I've_ changed, T, and I've grown up!" She screamed this, but he kept his voice maliciously low;

"Really? Because you don't seem to have changed at _all_ to me."  
She stood back, lost for words for a moment.  
Was he honestly saying that he still saw the same shallow, spoilt girl she'd once been?  
She seemed to find her words again, though, because soon enough, she was muttering:

"Well, if _that's_ the way you feel, Touya Kinomoto, then maybe we're making a mistake."

And she stalked out, barely disguising the tears cascading down her blotchy cheeks.

**Doctor's Office**

Tomoyo crossed her legs on the hard, plastic waiting room chair, wringing her hands nervously.  
Test results.  
That's all they were.  
Routine check-ups.

Except, in her experience, routine check-ups didn't have the doctor calling you at home, demanding you come to see him straight away.

She'd only _just_ managed to squeeze a valiums in before heading out in to the brisk morning air, the resulting effects causing her to throw up in several trash cans on the way.

Her mind reeled with possibilities;  
Was it cancer?  
Blood pressure?  
Her heart?  
_Pneumonia_?  
The latter wasn't very likely in Hong Kong, but she bit her lip that much tighter all the same.

"Tomoyo Hiiragizawa." The tannoy buzzed, and she jumped, shaking.

She edged her way in to the room, sitting on the edge of a slightly comfier chair as the doctor peered at her over his glasses.  
She suddenly yearned for Eriol's hand to hold.

_Stop it!  
You're through with him, remember?_

"Ms. Hiiragizawa, I've got some rather _shocking_ news."  
And, at his next sentence, she nearly passed out.

**A/N: Nope, you're not gonna find out yet!  
****But I bet it won't be what you're expecting!  
****  
Anyways, personal and web-related stuff kept me away, and if the chapter's a little depressing, that's not my fault.  
****At least I updated!  
****  
But hey, what's wrong with Ady?  
****Will Touya & Mei make up?  
****And what's the doctor's news for Tomoyo?**

**Everyone, read the stuff by Musette Fujiwara, it's brilliant!**

**I wanna say thanks to Raquel for helping me with all my COTW2 problems, listening to my late-night moaning and helping me through my writer's block – you're a star!! **

**Oh, and I really need beta readers / editors, so leave me a message in your review if you're interested!**


	9. Landing

**A/N:** Okay, so I _know_ I've been kinda sucky with updates recently, but I _really_ am having trouble writing this.  
Please, gimme some feedback?  
Just let me know what you're thinking about the story, what you think needs improving, if there's anything you don't like?

Seriously, I need some help people.  
I'm like, two breaths away from saying that I won't update until I get at _least_ seven reviews, but I'm not yet.  
Having said that, I keep getting no feedback, and I **will**.

_I really need a beta reader / editor for my new fic, you'll get to read before anyone else, so there are some perks.  
Anyways, please let me know if you're interested via your review. _

You may notice that I've switched to Japanese names.  
I hope you approve! 

**Chapter 9:  
Landing**

Tomoyo stumbled into the street, still clasping the pamphlets the doctor had provided her with, gripped with fear.  
She was more than aware of the strange looks she was earning from members of the general public, but did nothing to curb it;  
She took fast, shallow breaths, and cursed her own immaturity.

**Meilin and Touya's Place  
****Adorare's POV**

The tension in the kitchen is enough to make me shiver, but neither of my _parents_ seem to notice.

"Are you guys _okay_?" I think, for a moment, that they're simply planning on ignoring me, but I soon realise they're each merely waiting for the other to answer.

"Fine." My mother replies, eventually, before turning her attention back to an _obviously_ over-brewed cup of tea, and Touya goes back to his newspaper, continuing to turn the pages furiously, in a fashion that makes me wonder if he's even reading them at all.

"You don't _seem_ fine." She spins round almost immediately, folding her arms aggressively over her jumper.

"Well we _are_, so stop being so damn antagonistic, and mind your own bloody business for a change!" I jump at the sheer volume of her voice, and feel my patience snap.

"Don't yell at _me_ coz _you_ had a freaking fight!" I know it's a mistake to answer my mother back when she's in this mood, and Touya glances up, as though warning me off – but, of course, it's too late for that.

"Don't you _dare_ scream at me, you little-" I don't give her a chance to finish her insult, however, as I storm out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind me, and I run, as fast as I can, to a destination which I haven't yet decided on.

**Normal POV**

"You _shouldn't_ take it out on her, you know." Touya's voice was softer than she'd expected, but it did nothing to improve her mood.

"Don't you tell me how to raise _my_ daughter! I've gone seventeen years without _your_ help!" She screamed this, and yet he barely missed a beat;

"Yeah, well, whose fault is _that_?" Meilin flinched, hating that he knew exactly how to hurt her.  
But, then again, if he was gonna play dirty…

"_Yours_, Touya Kinomoto! I was right, you _were_ too immature to be a father! And you know _what_? You still are!" He stared at her, now, but all traces of anger had evaporated, and she hated the pain she saw as she met his gaze.

He walked out, but not in rage, or spite.  
He walked out because he was too hurt to say anything else.

**Eriol's Place**

Eriol paced back and forth, glancing anxiously at the grandfather clock which ticked loudly in the corner of his living room.  
Tomoyo was over an hour late, if she was coming at all.

Although he'd tried to convince himself she'd merely forgotten, or deemed him unworthy of her time, he seemed unable to deter the faint lashings of concern that engulfed him.

She hadn't sounded quite right on the phone, and he'd known it; he'd stopped himself from asking, naturally, hoping it would earn him a little closure, but deep down, he knew it was nothing but a clever façade – of _course _he cared.  
She was his _wife_.

**Genrou's POV**

I didn't know where I was going, to be honest, but I don't think it mattered that much;  
As long as I was walking _somewhere_, I could pretend I had a purpose, and that's all I really needed.

Likewise, I can't say _why_ I looked up at that moment, if destiny was at work, forcing two miserable people together, or if my gaze was merely attracted to the sobbing pile of dark clothing on the community green.  
A pile of clothes I soon recognized as my cousin.

"Ady?" She glanced up, but I think it was more out of the shock at having someone approach her undetected than the fact that I'd actually used her name.

However, as she turned to face me, it was my turn to be shocked; with red, puffy eyes, a blotchy face, and mascara stained cheeks, Adorare looked as I'd never seen her before.  
Adorare looked vulnerable.

"What _is_ it?" I held my hand out to help her up, and, as she stood, she brushed strains of grass from her legs, and smoothed out the creases in her skirt.

"N-nothing. Nothing at all, Genrou." She shook her head, brushing fiercely at the tears which cascaded freely down her cheeks as a result.

"You're crying for a _reason_, Ady, unless you've got the world's worst case of hay fever." She smiled at this, and I wrapped my arm round her shoulders, scanning her face for any signs of discomfort, so I could back away as soon as possible, but she merely looks down at her feet, blushing slightly.

"You're coming home with me." I mutter, decisively, and she looks up, her eyes wide in disbelief, and I realise how bad that sounded, feeling the colour rise in my cheeks.

"Umm, that is…I, uh – meant to say…y-you're _upset_, and you need to talk to someone – if not me, I think Aru's home." I know she's not used to being bossed around, but, to be honest, her passive mood is scaring me slightly, and I know we both need _someone_ to take control.

"I…I c-can't, Genrou. I can't speak to you guys about this." She sighs, and I realise how hard a time she's been having – and, even if she can't tell me _why_, I can at least provide a shoulder for her to cry on.

"No arguing. You're my cous-_friend_, and I won't leave you here, alone."  
And, with that, we set off in the direction of my house, with me tugging on her arm only gently.

**Tomoyo's POV**

I chew my gum nervously, praying it'll cover my alcohol-ridden breath enough, so Eriol won't notice.

I won't say I wasn't worried, when he called me, demanding I come and 'sort some stuff out' – heck, I wasn't even going to turn up, until I'd sobered up a little, and realised I'd have to tell him about my trip to the doctor's office, and discuss the appropriate steps to take.

That, however, doesn't make me any more eager to ring the bell, and, as I look down at my watch, I realise I'm nearly two hours late, my reluctance only grows.

"Mum?" I spin round as I hear my son's voice, and feel a bolt of relief when I realise he's on his way out.  
Whatever Eriol called me here for, I'm almost certain I don't want our son over-hearing it.

"Oh, um…hi…"I mutter, and he holds the front door open for me, meaning I have no choice but to walk in, coming face-to-face with Eriol.

"Tomoyo!" He looks almost relieved as he leads me into the sitting room, and, for a moment, I wonder why.  
I take a place on the couch, crossing my legs awkwardly in front of me.

"How are you?" Eriol murmurs, as though we're merely strangers meeting for the first time.

"Why did you call me here, Eriol?" There's no time for niceties, I need to get whatever he has to say out of the way, so I can tell him my 'happy news'.

"I…I just wanted to, uh…give you _these_." He shoves a pile of papers in my lap, and it takes a moment for me to adjust my vision.  
However, when I do, I can't help but feel completely horrified, and I know it shows on my face, too.

Sitting there, in my lap, are signed divorce papers, the ink still fresh, so that I could smudge the ink with my finger, if I so wished.

"What're these for?" I'm aware how much of an idiot I sound, but there's nothing else I can do about it.

I mean, don't get me _wrong_, I was the one who sent them to him, _twice_, but he's never signed them before, he'd never given me any reason to believe that he'd _wanted_ this.

"You know _exactly_ what they're for, Tomoyo." He laughs nervously, and I snap.

How _dare_ he laugh at me?

**Sakura and Syaoran's Place**

The doorbell rang, echoing through the virtually empty house, and causing Hotaru to groan.  
If Genrou had forgotten his keys _again_, there'd be hell to pay.

"_What_?" She wrenched open the door in frustration, and stopped dead in her tracks as she realised the form standing in front of her was _not_ that of her brother, although they wore the same sheepish grin whenever they thought they were in trouble.

"Go _away_, Hiro." She made to close the door, but he held it open, causing her to let go, so as not to hurt him.

"No, Aru." He held her arms, now, pulling her close to him and kissing her lightly on the lips, and, although it took her a while, she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck longingly, until he pulled away.

"I love you, Aru, and I'm sorry I haven't told you sooner, but I'm telling you now; you're everything to me, and I never wanna lose you again."

**Half An Hour Later**

Genrou pushed the front door open, watching Adorare's reaction as he seated her on the couch, and handed her a wad of tissues from the box on the hall table.

"So?" He sat down next to her, and she wrung her hands nervously.

"So _what_?" She placed her head on her knees, sighing.

"Ady, please, _talk_ to me." He shifted his weight, so he was facing her completely, and she had no other place to look but into his eyes.

"You wouldn't be able to handle it…no one would." She shredded the tissue he'd given her in her hands, and he frowned.

"Try me. I promise I'll listen, Ady. I promise I won't judge you, and I promise I'll try and cope with whatever you have to say as best I can."

"My mother and…_him_ were fighting, okay?"

"Ady, my parents fight all the time, it's no big deal!" He breathed a sigh of relief, but she rolled her eyes, signalling to him he hadn't quite grasped the true gravity of the situation how he ought to.

"See? I _knew_ you wouldn't understand…look, they're not _like_ regular couples – and you have no _idea_ how awful it was when they weren't together, Genrou – I grew up without a father, and my mother resented me for his absence. _Nothing _was good enough!" Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks, and she ran her hands through her hair.

"And then I found out who he was, and I was so damn _angry_ at her for the years of lies…" Genrou stroked her arm, unsure of what else to do.

"So, that's why you did all that?" He prompted her gently, scared that pushing her too fast might have a negative effect on her suddenly trusting nature, but longing to hear more, to _understand_ her.

"No…I just, I don't _know_, Genrou, no one wanted anything to do with that Wolf guy, and there he was, offering me a chance to prove that I was _good_ at something…I just wanted it so bad! I wanted to be able to do one thing my mother couldn't. But then something _changed_…I had more power than I'd ever had before…I'd wake up and not know where I'd been! I mean, I woke up once and saw Hiro's mother laying _gagged_ next to me, and I knew I had to untie her, but I _couldn't_ - I just blacked out again…I didn't want to hurt anyone…not Hiro, not you, and never Aru, she's like, my best friend!" Genrou nodded at this, a reaction she hadn't expected from him.

"We knew it was never really you, Ady…well, Aru and I knew – Hiro was a little more sceptical about it – he saw you, and I think it freaked him out more than he let on."

"Genrou, I'm so sorry…I was so messed up…I mean, when it was all over, I couldn't stay. I just _ran_ – I didn't stop for hours, and, when I did, I didn't know where I was…my clothes were too skimpy, and I had no money…I was just wandering around…I suppose I was an easy target…I mean, after all that training, I guess I should've noticed a group of guys following me, huh? And, by the time I _did_ notice, it was too late – they'd forced me into an alley."

Genrou gasped at this, as though coming to a sudden realisation, and Adorare stopped speaking, watching his reaction carefully, although scared of the impact her words were having on him.

"God, Ady…" He seemed to be almost pleading with her, now, begging she wasn't about to tell him what he thought she was.

"I swear, I tried to stop them, tried to fight like I did when we trained, but I couldn't…there were so many of them, Genrou…they just kept talking about having earned from me, like they were being paid to do it, and I couldn't _understand_ why they…God, you hear about girls getting raped all the time, Genrou, but it never…it never happens to you! God, I tried so damn _hard_ to make it stop…" Adorare sobbed at this, and Genrou wrapped his arms round her.

"Ady, no one's gonna hurt you now…I'm here, you're safe…calm _down_…" She burrowed her head into the crook of his neck, and, as she spoke, her voice was muffled.

"They sliced me open, you know. I don't remember much, but a pain in my stomach, and then I was in hospital – then a foster home, then with counsellors…everyone kept asking me how I felt, and I didn't _want_ to talk to them…I had to get outta there, Genrou. I couldn't _bare_ it." He only held her closer to his form as she sobbed, trying to hide how distressed the thought of Adorare having to go through such things alone made him.

**Eriol's Place**

Tomoyo stared at her 'husband', rage bubbling within her.

"Oh, I get it – mess around with me for a year, _cheat_ on me, and then get me into trouble and divorce me!" Eriol frowned at this, placing his hands on his temples and massaging them gently.

"What are you _talking_ about?" She had a feeling that he didn't actually want to know, but decided to enlighten him anyway.

"You – you just _mess_ up my life, get me in an awful mess, and then dump me like I mean _nothing_ to you – you're not a teenager anymore, you know! You can't just knock me up and dump me!" She screamed this, and he glanced straight up at her, his eyes wide with shock, and she clamped her hand over her mouth, realising this was _not_ the gentlest way to break the news to her nearly-ex-husband.

"Y-you…you're…oh…is it…is it m-mine?" She'd never heard him quite so nervous before – the Eriol she'd known would never allow himself to display such weakness.

"Of _course_ it's yours – _you're_ the one who runs off with secretaries, not _me_!" And, with tears streaming down her face, she left, in a way that was starting to become a tradition for them, leaving the screwed up divorce papers in her wake.

**Sakura and Syaoran's Place **

"Here." Genrou handed Adorare a cup of tea, and she shot him a weak smile in return, wiping the last traces of mascara from the corners of her eyes.

"Sorry for…you know…dumping it all on you." She stared at the contents of her mug, placing it on the coffee table, so as not to burn her hands, and Genrou sat down next to her.

"No, _I'm_ sorry, Ady…we all just _assumed_ you'd run away, that you were scared…but you _didn't _deserve that, Adorare, no one deserves to be…raped…but you don't have to pretend to be so strong, you know…you can be upset when you need…you can _talk_ when you need."  
She laughed slightly, under her breath, and he smiled back, until they both subsided into a comfortable silence.  
However, it didn't last _too_ long, as, soon enough, they heard giggling coming from somewhere upstairs, and looked to each other, frowning in recognition, if nothing else.

"That's Aru…"Adorare arched an eyebrow, and Genrou leapt up.

"If she's up there with him, I'll _kill_ the bastard!" He made to storm upstairs, but she jumped up, too, grabbing his arm before he could go any further.

"Genrou, if she _is_ up there with Hiro, you're not gonna wanna walk in on them."

**Meilin and Touya's Place**

Meilin stormed up the stairs, positively fuming.  
How _dare_ he act like the injured party?

She barged into their bedroom, not caring that he seemed to be ignoring her very presence.

"Okay, you know _what_? You don't get to sulk – I don't wanna play these games, Touya – because you know _what_? This may all just be a game to you – marriage, me, Ady, the baby, but it's _not _for me." He was rolling his eyes now, and she thought, for an awful moment, he was merely going to ignore her, but he lacked the self-restraint.

"No, Mei, it's _not_ a game to me – _you're _the immature one, the clingy, wants-to-meet-all-my friends one! I couldn't bare it with Nakuru, and I can't bare it with you! I never thought you'd turn out to be so damn alike!" There was a deadly silence as he completed his sentence, and he suddenly found himself wishing he could take it all back.  
He knew her too well to think she'd let this slide, and he found himself bracing for impact.

"Are you comparing me to _Nakuru_?" Her tone was devoid of all sentiment, but he wasn't fooled for a moment.

"Mei, you know I didn't-" But he wasn't permitted to finish his sentence, as she hissed over him;

"Get _out_." There were tears brimming in the corners of her eyes, yet he was completely frozen to the spot.

"Meilin, this is _our_ house, you can't throw me out." But she didn't seem fazed by this.

"Well _one_ of us is leaving, Touya, and I can tell you – if it's me, then I'll be taking Adorare with me, and you won't find out where we are. At least, this way, you'll still be part of her life…"

**Sakura and Syaoran's Place**

"I've got to go stop this!" Genrou pulled at Adorare, attempting to loosen her grip, but she seemed unrelenting.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! They're _dating_!" She pushed him onto the couch, taking a place on the arm, so that she was closer to the door than him.

"Yeah, well, they _shouldn't_ be – it's wrong! They're like…brother and sister!" She giggled at this.

"They're third degree cousins! Of course, you wouldn't see that, you're over-protective, like your father, and moronic, like your uncle."

"I'm nothing like my father – or _yours_! And you can't talk, anyways, you and your mother could be _twins_!"

"_What_? Don't be so ridiculous, we don't look anything alike – my skins much darker than hers, for a start!" Adorare held the back of her arm up, as if to prove it, but Genrou merely laughed at her.

"Apart from that, you have the same inky hair, the same huge, almost ruby eyes, and the same beautiful smile." She rolled her eyes at this, although she'd heard it all before.

"Great, so you've got a crush on my mother? You and the entire male body of our school!"

"Hmm, not exactly…I've got my eye on someone a little younger."

"Figures you would have – so it's okay for you to date, but not Aru, or Hiro, or even _me_?" He reddened slightly at this, but she didn't seem to notice, or, if she did, she thought it unimportant.

"No, you _definitely_ can't."

"Oh, please, like it's up to you who I date? You don't even care, you're just being bossy, as usual!"

"I'm _not_ being bossy, I just care who you date! What's wrong with that?" She snorted at this, rolling her eyes once more.

"Oh puh-lease, why _should_ you care? It's not like you're in _love_ with me, or something!" Genrou's blush worsened, but Adorare merely carried on, completely oblivious to his discomfort.

"Mind you, even if you _were_, you couldn't stop me from doing what I wanted, just like Hiro can't stop Aru from doing anything against _her_ will – she's as stubborn as me…plus, I'd kick your ass if you tried to make me do anything I didn't want, whereas Aru's all sweetness and light to him." It was his turn to snort as she said this, and she looked up, questioningly.

"Aru, _sweet_? You've got to be kidding me! She can fight almost as well as you, sometimes, and _much_ better than Hiro…besides, you couldn't kick my ass anyways." She hit him playfully around the head at this, but, as she attempted to do it again, he yanked on her arm, causing her to collapse in his lap.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again." He muttered, and she giggled, bringing her head dangerously close to his.

"Or _what_?" She breathed, and he raised his eyebrows, a dangerous glint in his eyes, so that she wondered what his next move would be.

However, nothing could have prepared her for what he actually did;  
For, in a matter of seconds, he'd closed the gap between them, and locked her in an all-too-steamy-to-be-sharing-with-someone-you're-technically-related-too kiss.

**A/N: Hah, did anyone see that coming?  
****How will Adorare react?  
****  
And Tomoyo's pregnant!  
****How's that gonna fit in with their plans for divorce? **

**You'll have to find out next chapter, won't you?  
****Anyways, let me know what you think – all you have to do is scroll down a little further, and click the 'submit a review' button…  
****Go on, you know you wanna! **


	10. Gliding

**A/N:** Before I start, I just want to dedicate the rest of this fic to Rachel, one of the best friends I've ever had, who died on the 22nd of September this year – I promised I'd get this finished, and I will, for you.

**Chapter 10:  
****Gliding**

**Tomoyo's Place  
**

Tomoyo drained the contents of her glass with relish, knowing full well that she shouldn't be drinking, in her current condition, but continuing, anyway.  
What did she care?

She grabbed another handful of clothes from her closet, dumping them into the large suitcase on her bed, and frantically trying to remember where on _earth_ she put her passport.  
It wasn't that she knew where she was going, but that she knew she had to go _somewhere_, and fast – it wouldn't be long before Eriol snapped out of his shock, and came to find her;  
And, she knew, if that happened, he'd suggest they get back together, for the baby – and, his sympathy she couldn't bare.  
It was this thought that finally prompted her to snatch her passport from her bedside drawer, and slam her suitcase closed with a resolving snap.

**Sakura and Syaoran's place  
****The Sitting Room**

Adorare pulled herself away from Genrou, slightly dazed, her breathing increasing rapidly as the situation dawned on her.

"What the hell did you do _that_ for?" But Genrou merely shrugged, his sheer indifference worsening Adorare's mood.

"That's not good enough, Genrou! You have the _cheek_ to complain about Aru and Hiro's relationship, but you're fine to kiss _me_?" Her voice became steadily harsher towards the end of her sentence, so that she had to mentally stop herself from completely losing her cool.

"I _know _it's not fine, but I couldn't help it! And besides, you kissed me back!" Adorare glared at him for this, but if he noticed, he did a good job of covering it up.

"It was a reflex." Genrou laughed at this, and gave her a doubtful look, that seemed to look right through her.

"That's crap, and you know it."

"No, it's not. We're _cousins_, Genrou. Not third cousins, we're full, flesh-and-blood cousins. I mean, what would our _parents_ -" However, she didn't get to finish her panic-stricken statement, as Genrou closed the gap between them, capturing her in a kiss that made her heart skip a beat once more.  
It wasn't that she didn't know it was wrong, and it wasn't that she didn't think she'd regret it, later on, but at that precise moment, it didn't really seem to matter – all Adorare cared about, right then, was the kiss.  
And then, as they both pulled away, it was as though it all hit her.  
And, before she knew what she was doing, she'd brought his hand straight across his face, resulting in a slap that seemed to shock them both.

"Would you _stop_ hitting me, please?" Genrou's voice remained steady, determined, and she felt that all too familiar rage bubbling within her.

"Only if _you_ stop kissing me!"

"You liked it!" His voice was incredulous, now, and she found herself reddening considerably.

"We're cousins, you shouldn't have even-" But, once more, she was interrupted;

"And you shouldn't have kissed me back; you shouldn't still be here, but you are. And so am I." She couldn't meet his gaze as he said this, but he wouldn't give up.

"You're right. I'm gonna go, Genrou." But, as she got up to go, she was alerted to his hand on her arm, pulling her back.

"If you leave now, you'll regret it." His voice was harsher than it had been, almost desperate, and she felt a swell of emotion, although she was unsure as to exactly what emotion it was.

"I have a feeling I'll regret staying, too."

"Well, then, you'll have to decide what you'd rather have regrets about, won't you?" Genrou raised his eyebrows at this, and Adorare found herself wringing her hands nervously.

"I'd rather not have a discussion about why I kissed my _cousin_, Genrou!" She had to make a conscious effort to keep her voice level, scared that Hotaru or Hiro might hear her.

"So then, don't talk to me about the kiss." She frowned at this.

"I doubt we're going to be able to talk about anything else for a _long _time, Genrou."

"Who said anything about talking?" She glanced up at this, completely shocked, but his face was the picture of innocence.

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Her tone suggested only a little of the outrage she felt, and he couldn't keep a straight face as she spoke.

"Obviously not what _you're _thinking about! You have a pretty low opinion of me, don't you?" He leant against one of the stools by the kitchen counter, lowering himself to her height.

"Considering you just _kissed_ me, don't you think that's justified?" She crossed her arms, glaring at him, but keeping her distance, so as not to encourage any more romantic behaviour.

"No! Who said I wanted to kiss you again?" His turn to fold his arms.

"And why _wouldn't_ you?" She was hardly aware of what she was saying, until she said it, and she instantly regretted her indignant tone, seeing a sudden smugness in Genrou's eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry…do you _want_ me to kiss you again?"

"N-no…I just…I should go." She inwardly cursed herself for her sudden lack of confidence, confusion sweeping over her.  
She wasn't sure _what_ she wanted, anymore, and this probably wasn't helping.

"If you go now, you'll never know what any of this means." His words stopped her dead in her tracks, and she became uncertain as to her next move.

"How can we honestly have this discussion, Genrou?" She ran her fingers through her long dark locks, trying to bring some sort of rationality back to the situation, but none came.

"I won't come near you, I swear. I just…I need you to think about why you kissed me back. I need to know, Ady, please…just stay?" She met his gaze, now, something she instantly regretted – for, once she did, she just couldn't turn away.  
She was partially responsible, after all – she had no right to just up and leave, did she?  
But, on the other hand, how could she stay?  
She just didn't know how to act around him, any more, it was as if the innocence, the platonic quality had evaporated from their relationship – all the boundaries that had been there, only a few moments ago, had instantly disappeared.

"It…it was just a reflex, Genrou, that's all." But, even as she said it, she heard how pathetic it sounded.

"Yeah, reflex my _ass_, Ady. A reflex is just closing your eyes. You kissed me back, and you know you did." His voice was harsher than it had been, before, and she found herself losing her cool, ever so slightly.

"Why should I tell you why I kissed you, when you haven't even told me why you kissed me?" It sounded childish, and she knew it, but it seemed to be the only way to divert attention from herself.

"I guessed it was pretty clear." He shrugged, slumping down on the couch, next to where she was standing, his head in his hands.

"How's that?"

"Come on, Ady – you know I don't talk about stuff like that."

"Well, then, what makes you think I'm going to tell you why I kissed you, if you won't tell _me_?" Adorare arched an eyebrow as she said this, and Genrou sighed.  
She wasn't about to make this any easier.

"You're insufferable, Ady."

"And you're not answering me, which means _this_ isn't going anywhere – you're just beating round the bush, and it's pointless! Either tell me what you want, or let me go." She stared at him, for a moment, as though challenging him, and he rolled his eyes.

"You. I want _you_, Ady." She jumped at this, staring straight at him, as though trying to decide whether he was being genuine or not.

"You're a typical guy…you want me coz you can't have me. I don't have time for childhood crushes, Genrou." It pained her to say it, to play the 'maturity' card, but this conversation was making her uncomfortable, for reasons she didn't care to think about.

"It's _not_ a crush – I'm talking about the real thing, here!" He was staring at her now, but all she could do was laugh.  
Bitterly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Genrou."

"Wait, so now I'm ridiculous? And you wondered why I didn't wanna say anything about it!"

"You're younger than me, and _related_ to me, Genrou – we're _both_ ridiculous!" She ran her hands through her hair as she said this, leaning on the kitchen counter as she went.

"We're not ridiculous, Ady – at least I don't think we are! I love you, Ady, the real you, and whether you chose to admit it or not, you care about me too – otherwise you'd have left already…and that's why you won't dare to come near me, you're scared that you'll kiss me again!" He sat on the couch, staring up at her pointedly, and she felt the colour rising in her cheeks.

"I would _not_ kiss you again, and I'll prove it!" She sat down next to him, now, glaring angrily.

"Yeah, but I might kiss _you_."

"Try it, and I'll have to hurt you."

"It wouldn't be a first, Ady, but you won't – not when you like it." He smirked at this bit, and Adorare found herself reddening once more – what was _wrong _with her?

"I do _not_." She crossed her arms defiantly at this.

"Oh, so you won't mind proving it?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively at this.

"I really _will_ hurt you, you know." He was dangerously close to her, now, and she found herself holding her breath.

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" He whispered this, his breath tickling her lips; he was mere centimetres away, and, as his lips met hers, once more, her mind seemed to go blank.

**Meilin and Touya's Place  
****Meilin's POV**

I just lay there, on the couch, long after he'd gone, looking down at my overly bloated stomach, my hand resting on where I _hoped_ the baby was.  
With no Adorare anywhere to be found, and no one else to turn to, I decided it best to comfort my unborn child.

"It's just me, you and Ady, now, baby…but don't worry, I'll look after you." Tears were streaming down my face, now, but I didn't wipe them away.  
What was the point?  
There was no one to make the effort for, any more.

"Now, don't you worry, baby…Ady grew up without a daddy, and she turned out fine!" And, as if in protest, the baby kicked me.

"Well, she's had her problems, but she's a good girl, really…" I sobbed this last part, the thought of raising another child on my own turning me cold.

"Yeah, I know…I'm gonna miss him, too."

**Sakura and Syaoran's Living Room**

Adorare put her hand on Genrou's chest, and broke their kiss, leaning her head against his shoulder, exhaling loudly.

"See…_hated_ it." She pulled herself away, slowly, not daring to look into his eyes.

"You _say_ that, but you didn't hurt me, did you?" As if in response, Adorare punched his arm, slightly, but not enough to leave a mark.

"There." But he merely rolled his eyes.

"Stop trying to fool yourself, Ady. I know you, and I know your full strength, and that wasn't it."

"We're related."

"So? That never stopped you giving me a black eye when we were training!" He was starting to raise his voice again, now.

"Hitting you isn't _incest_." Tears formed in her eyes, now, but she merely shook them away, brutally.

"Neither is _this_! It's so common in families like ours to marry cousins!" Genrou tilted her chin up, so she had nowhere to look but into his eyes.

"I'm not even sure that I'm part of this family."

"Of _course_ you are!"

"I have a mother that hates me, a father I don't know, and a cousin that's in love with me. That's a pretty crap family, if you ask me!" Now she was the one to lose her cool.

"Fine, just go, Ady." He let go of her, now, and turned his back on her completely, but she knew it was merely an excuse, so she couldn't see how upset he really was.

"I'm not what you need, Genrou." Her voice was soft, comforting, and totally unlike her.

"Yeah, but I'm exactly what you need." He turned to face her once more.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"I'm _not – _who said I _wanted_ to be what you needed, Ady? Who said I wanted any of this?" She couldn't hide the shock from her face, now; she was completely unaccustomed to Genrou talking to her so _angrily_.

"So then why are you _doing _it? Why not just make this easy, and give up?"

"For the same reason you won't just make this easy, and _let_ me love you."

"Genrou, there are_ so _many reasons why we shouldn't, and you know it."

"Yeah, I know – but there are so many _more_ reasons why we _should_ be, Ady, and you know it. If you don't take a risk, how d'you ever expect to be happy? And if you don't feel like part of this family, it shouldn't matter, whether or not they'd approve! Just give me a chance!"

"And if I don't?" Her voice was steadily calm, compared to his passionate speech, and it seemed to take a moment for him to register what she'd said.

"Then I guess that's it." He put it as simply as he could, and he could see her thinking, for a moment.

"And if I hurt you?"

"You won't, coz you love me."

"Yeah, but-" She stopped suddenly, as if realising her mistake.

"Did you just _admit_ that you loved me?" Even Genrou seemed shocked at this, as though it was too good to be true.

"I…uh-" But it was no good, she realised, the damage had already been done.

"So, you _do_ love me." He muttered, drawing her closer, and kissing her once more.

**A/N: Yes, I know, it was a pretty crappy chapter, I just wanted to update, to be honest.  
****Please, review.  
****And thanks to Raquel, you're a total star, and I never could've got through the past few months without you.**

**REVIEW, DAMMIT!**


	11. Plummeting

Curse Of The Wolf 2:

**A/N:** I know I haven't updated in a _long_ time, everyone, and I am sorry; I've simply lost my interest in ROTW, I began it when I was in a very different place in my life, and when this is done, I shall be using a new account to write new fics, and symbolise my whole new beginning. Sorry if you find the coming chapters out of keeping with the previous ones, I don't mean to disappoint, but I can't continue along this 'everyone's fine', happy ending fic in the way I have before.

**Chapter 11:  
Plummeting:**

**Meilin's Place**

The front door slammed, waking Meilin from her rather troubled slumber, and bringing her crashing back to reality with a rather sadistic force.She sat up from where she'd been laying on the couch, attempting to ignore the baby's anxious kicking against her barely covered midriff.

"_Mother_?" Adorare was barely able to conceal her shock as she took in her mother's drained face and the tissues that littered the room, and an ominous feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

"I, uhm…your fathe-_Touya_…he left. He's staying at a hotel until he finds somewhere to, you know, _live_. And I am going to bed." Meilin was struggling to keep her tone matter-of-fact, and sighed as it began to crack under the pressure.  
Adorare merely nodded, overwhelmed at this new information, a thousand questions buzzing through her mind, none of which she could ask her mother in her current state.

"Okay." As Meilin ascended the stairs, Adorare couldn't help but feel a rare surge of affection for her mother, as well as a strange curiosity; one that she knew she would have no choice but to satisfy.

**Nakuru's Studio**

Nakuru stared out of the dirty window, sighing at the state of squalor she had been forced to reside in.  
However, she thought, the beginnings of a smirk hinting at her lips, donating all her resources to her plan _would_, inevitably, prove to be worth it.  
Glancing up at the cracked clock, her smile spread.  
For, it would soon be time for her plan to come into action; and, when it did, Nakuru would gain the only thing she'd ever wanted since she was fifteen; she would gain Touya.

And, if the people that had opposed her, once, happened to suffer along the way?  
Well, that was merely a bonus.

However, she thought, as she filled her bag with the necessities, on one thing she was certain; Meilin Li would, on all accounts, be made to suffer for what she'd done.  
And then, when she was begging for forgiveness, Nakuru would kill her; not because it was necessary, but because she could.

**Eriol's Place**

"Dad?" Hiro nervously slipped his head around the door to his father's study.

"_Yes_?" Hiro jumped a little at his father's tone, wondering exactly _what_ had caused his father's rather abrupt behaviour, for the past few days; wondering if it had anything to do with the question he was about to ask.

"I was just wondering if you knew where mum was? Coz I…uhm, I was gonna stay with her tomorrow night, and she hasn't been in touch for a while…" Eriol looked up at this, and Hiro could've sworn he saw a little concern in his father's eyes, although, just for a second – however, it was soon gone, and Eriol turned back to his work.

"No." And that, it seemed, was the end of the conversation.

**Touya's Hotel Room**

Touya sighed, staring up at the ceiling of his room with sheer disdain.

It should never have been like this.  
Surely, they hadn't come all this way, just to screw it all up again?  
And, to make matters worse, this time, he hadn't just lost Meilin. He'd lost his daughter, and unborn child, too; he'd lost his only real chance for a family.

As he contemplated this rather scary new thought, there was a knock at the door; one he found he was rather grateful for.  
However, this sudden gratitude was never destined to last for long, and it evaporated as soon as he saw who was awaiting him.

**Sakura and Syaoran's Place**

"_Tell me_!" Hotaru whined, causing her brother to roll his eyes as their mother placed a bowl of soup in front of him.

"Aru, sweetheart, don't _whine_ so." Sakura chided, taking her place opposite her husband at the dinner table.

"_Yeah_, Aru, don't whine." Genrou smirked, earning him a light slap around the head from his father.

"Don't mock your mother." Syaoran raised a quizzical eyebrow at his wife across the dinner table, but she merely shrugged.

"Oh, come on, Gen! I'll only find out from Hiro anyway!" Hotaru continued, only causing her parents further perplexity.

"No you _won't_, because Hiro doesn't know." Genrou grinned triumphantly, while his sister merely stared at him, astounded.

They both knew he'd won.

"Hiro doesn't know _what_, Gen?" Sakura's interest had peaked, and Genrou hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond; however, his sister was all too pleased to use his moment of indecision to her advantage.

"About his new _girlfriend_." As she said this, Genrou blushed, and Sakura arched an eyebrow.

"I didn't think you were into the whole 'commitment' thing, Gen?"

"I, uh…" Genrou started.

"He's _not_, which is why I want to know who she is!" Hotaru sulked, causing her father sigh.

"Tough." Genrou smirked once more.

"Yeah, well, you've gotta see her _sometime_, so I'll find out eventually." Hotaru grinned, biting the end off a piece of asparagus as she went, and Genrou found himself a little more concerned than he was prepared to let on.

**Touya's Hotel Room**

Adorare stood nervously by the door to her father's room, biting her lip and desperately trying to avoid his rather shocked gaze.

"_Adorare_? What are you _doing_ he-" But Touya wasn't permitted to finish his question, as Adorare spoke over him.

"You _broke_ my mother – you broke her, and I don't know how to fix it." As she said this, she finally met his gaze, albeit defiantly.

"D'you want to come in?" He sighed, knowing full well that he had more than a little explaining to do.

She stepped past him, standing rather awkwardly in the centre of the room, and he stood opposite her, leaning on the frame of his bed for support.

"Just…just tell me what you did to her, please? She's been in bed all day, and she won't talk to me, and if you could just, please, tell me how to fix it, because it can't go back to how it was before…you can't _make_ it go back, and then not tell me how to fix it!" At the end of her minor rant, Adorare seemed almost hysterical, and Touya felt a pang of guilt.

"Fix _what_, Ady?"

"Her being all miserable again! I mean, sure, it freaked me out at first, when I came back and she was all…_happy_, but now she's depressed again, and I can't-I just _can't_…" She broke off, turning away from him slightly, and allowing a single tear to trail down her cheek.

"There's nothing I can do." Touya sighed.

"Nothing you can do? You can't just mess everything up and then _leave_!" The tears were flowing thick and fast as she spun round to glare at him, and he found the guilt was becoming more and more overpowering as she continued to cry.

"She threw me out, what am I _supposed_ to do?"

"You're supposed to _care_!" She cried, and he stared at her in shock for a moment, unable to speak, so she continued.

"You're supposed to care enough about my mother not to give up. I am _not_ picking up your mess again." Touya frowned at this.

"_Again_?" She bit her lip at this, as though contemplating her options.

"D'you have any idea how hard it is, having a mother ho resents your very presence? How hard it is to not know _why_?" She brushed the tears away, trying to swallow back the next lot.

"I'm so sorry. Really, I am, Ady, but I didn't _know_." He sank down on to his be, trying to catch her eye, but she seemed intent on avoiding him.

"Yeah, well…just make sure the new kid gets a look in, otherwise it'll just end up like me. And we don't want that." She tried to adopt a brave smile as she said this, but, as she finally met his gaze, it seemed to melt away, and she stood looking more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her.

"How did you know where I was, anyway?"

"You called the hotel from the house phone." She stated, simply.

"Why go to all that trouble?" Touya winced slightly as he said this, realising how his words must have sounded.  
If she was offended, however, she didn't let on, ignoring his question completely, and, instead, asking one of her own;  
"So that's it? You're really splitting up?" Her tone was neutral, and he found himself wondering if she cared more than she was letting on; however, try as he might, he just couldn't think of a suitable answer to her question, so, after a few moments, she spoke again.

"I'll leave. If you two want to get back together, I'll leave, and I _swear_ I'll never come back." He looked up in shock.

"Ady, what're you _talking_ abou-?"

"You were happy. Before she got pregnant with me, and when I ran away, you were happy." She spoke over him, her words coming out in an undignified heap.

"Ady, _none_ of this is because of you. None of it is your fault. We split up before you were born because of _me_, and no one else. It was my fault then, and it's my fault now." She looked at him for a moment although trying to decide whether she believed him.

"Well, then, go and grovel. Because she needs you, and as long as she does, it's not over." And Touya found himself praying, above all else, that she was right.

**Adorare's POV**

As I lay there, on my bed, I knew I'd let things go _way _too far.  
It had been over two weeks, now, and I'd failed to put things to an end with Genrou; I loved him, and I knew that, but whether I was _in_ love with him remained to be seen; I'd been certain that I was, when he'd been standing in front of me, and saying all those perfect things, but then it had happened; the doubt had set in.  
Suddenly, I was unsure of everything; and, the further I got in to this dirty little secret, the more I wanted out.  
I was becoming desperate, and I knew it.  
Heck, in my worst moments, I'd be seconds away from coming clean about our 'relationship' to my mother.

I sat up, now, staring at my freshly packed bag on the floor, kicking it in disdain.  
It groaned under the pressure, full to the brim with everything I owned, and I gave a bitter laugh as I realised I'd managed to fit my entire life into a tiny weekend bag.

My heart pounded in my chest as the adrenaline kicked in, and the fact that I was never to see the people I loved again sunk in.  
And, whether I was as in love with him as I'd have liked to think, or not, the thought of never seeing Genrou again sent my stomach in to freefall.  
The truth of the matter was, even though returning to my old life was far from easy, I was really hoping that, this time, it wouldn't come to this.

**Two Hours Later**

Meilin pushed open her front door, sighing as she went; doctors' appointments no longer brought the joy they had a few weeks ago.  
And, while she was pleased the baby was still thriving, even after her measly existence, over the past fortnight, the lecture she'd earned herself from the doctor had _not_ been welcome.

She glanced at her watch, barely suppressing a gasp as she realised it was now long past midnight; she'd been driving around for _hours_ in the dark and barely noticed, immersed instead in all she'd lost in the past two weeks; immersed in the fact that Touya had stopped attempting to contact her a week ago; the fact that he'd given up.

Yawning slightly, Meilin made her way cautiously across the upper landing to her daughter's room, knowing by the light under her door that the teenager would've been waiting up for her, and that she'd have hell to pay for being out so late without any warning.

However, nothing had prepared Meilin for what she found when she _did_ finally open the door to Adorare's room; for, not only was the room empty, the window smashed and the newly emptied wardrobe wide open, but, laying in the centre of her daughter's bed was a scrap of paper, with a single word scribbled across it;  
Goodbye.

* * *

**A/N:** **I hope you liked this chapter; review if you did.  
I'm really trying to turn this fic around, it's becoming something I don't like much.  
Suggestions are welcome.**


	12. READ THIS, PLEASE

Dear Readers,

I want to thank anyone that's reading this, I appreciate the time you've taken to read my fic, and those of you who've followed it from the beginning will know that, as of late, my interest in this story has subsided, and I've started updating less and less.

As a result of this, Rise of the Wolf : Curse of the Wolf 2 will be, from this point on, _discontinued_;  
I'll be using this opportunity to start some new, slightly darker, more mature (but not, necessarily lemon / lime) stories, on my new account : missdelish

Thank you for reading this to the end, and, if you have, please know that you can PM me on either one of my accounts for the planned ending to Rise of the Wolf, I had it pretty much all done in my head, just not on the computer.

/missdelish


	13. Note

Hey, everyone, just to let you all know that this account will no longer carry any new stories or updates.  
However, if you want to read some of my newer (and, in my opinion, better) fics, take a look at my new profile - the link is on my profile, or you can just search 'Miss Delish'.


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